Federal Cannabis Decriminalization Bill to Be Reintroduced in the U.S. This Month

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, along with Senators Ron Wyden and Cory Booker, plan to reintroduce the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) to decriminalize, regulate, and tax cannabis federally. The reintroduction effort coincides with Schumer’s push for the SAFER Banking Act, showing there’s bipartisan support for addressing a range of cannabis related issues.

American Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, are planning to reintroduce a federal bill on cannabis decriminalization. In a “letter to colleagues,” seen by Politico, Schumer, Senator Ron Wyden, and Senator Cory Booker have called on other senators to co-sponsor the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA).

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Initial Introduction of Decriminalization Bill and Subsequent Stagnation

The CAOA was initially released by the trio as a discussion draft in 2021 and was officially introduced in July 2022 but did not progress in Congress.

It is understood that the new bill, expected to be reintroduced “by the end of April,” remains largely unchanged from the bill introduced two years ago.

Objectives of the CAOA

In essence, the CAOA aims to “decriminalize, regulate, and tax cannabis,” by removing it from Schedule I of the CSA and regulating it in the same manner as alcohol.

“The question today is not whether cannabis should be legal—many states have already taken steps in that direction,” the letter states, referencing the 24 American states that have legalized cannabis.

“The question is whether cannabis should be subject to the same strict regulatory standards, based on preserving public health and safety, as those applied to alcohol and tobacco. Federal regulation is long overdue to ensure that cannabis products are as safe as possible, to prevent children and those under 21 from accessing them, and to ensure that states and local communities have the necessary resources to combat impaired driving.”

Additional Decriminalization Efforts

A few days before, Mr. Schumer had sent a separate letter to his colleagues reaffirming his intention to pass the SAFER Banking Act this year.

The letter, published on April 5, outlines Mr. Schumer’s agenda for the upcoming work period, emphasizing the need for bipartisan support to make progress on a wide range of issues facing the country.

While the SAFER Banking Act has made more progress than ever in the last legislative session, it has yet to be passed by the Senate.

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(Featured image by Harold Mendoza via Unsplash)

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