U.S. Congress to consider 6 cannabis bills this week

On Wednesday, a U.S. Congressional committee will debate two bills to legalize cannabis at the federal level and several other bills on cannabis research or veterans' access, according to a briefing note obtained by Marijuana Moment.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on these projects with the participation of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

This hearing comes a few months after the Chamber's Judiciary Committee has approved a plan to legalize cannabis, The bill was introduced by Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler. This bill, the MORE Act, will be one of two bills debated by the Committee this week.

Here are the bills the committee will be examining tomorrow.

Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act

The MORE Act would legalize cannabis at federal level, grant amnesty to those previously convicted of cannabis and impose a 5% tax on sales, the proceeds of which would be reinvested in the communities most affected by the war on drugs.

It would also open up the possibility of release from prison for those incarcerated for cannabis offenses, protect immigrants from being denied citizenship because of cannabis offenses, and prevent federal agencies from blocking utilities or security clearances because of its use.

Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act

This bill would also legalize cannabis, set aside funds for minority- and women-owned cannabis businesses, and provide grants to help people overturn previous cannabis convictions.

Medical Cannabis Research Act of 2019

The Medical Cannabis Research Act would require the Department of Justice to approve additional cannabis producers for research, protect research institutions interested in conducting cannabis studies, and authorize the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to inform patients of federally approved cannabis studies in which they may participate.

Medical Marijuana Research Act of 2019

A bipartisan group of House members introduced the bill last year. It would simplify the registration process for researchers interested in studying cannabis and allow certified scientists to obtain research-quality cannabis from private manufacturers.

Legitimate Use of Medicinal Marijuana Act

This legislation would reclassify cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule II of the Stupefying Substances Act, and specify that the federal government may not «prohibit or restrict» the consumption, possession, transportation, production or distribution of cannabis. medical marijuana if they are authorized by a State.

Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act

The bill would make it federally legal for military veterans to «consume, possess or transport medical cannabis» in states where it is legal. It would also allow Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) physicians to issue medical cannabis recommendations to their patients.

Find the full backgrounder on the House of Representatives cannabis hearing below.