Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Announces Updates to Bill to Federally Legalize Cannabis
In February, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer explained in a press conference and in a letter to colleagues the details of his bill to federally legalize cannabis and announced his plan to introduce it in the coming weeks.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced his plans to file a bill in April 2022 to federally legalize cannabis (1,2). He also said in a letter to colleagues that he and other senators have already received comments on the draft from a broad array of relevant sources and are requesting input from leaders of relevant committees and from senators who have dealt with legalization in their own states.
Schumer first disclosed details about his Cannabis Administration & Opportunity Act (CAOA), which he unveiled in draft form for public comment in July 2021, and he expects committee hearings on the proposal shortly after it’s formally filed.
“One major hurdle continues to stand in the way of states’ ability to make their own decisions about cannabis—the continued prohibition of marijuana at the federal level,” said Schumer. “As more and more states move to legalize cannabis for both adult and medical use, the federal government has an important role to play. Hundreds of millions of Americans live in states that have legalized cannabis in some form while it remains illegal at the federal level.”
The proposal would federally deschedule cannabis, expunge prior convictions, allow people to petition for resentencing, maintain the authority of states to set their own cannabis policies, and remove collateral consequences such as immigration-related penalties for people who’ve been criminalized over the plant.
The bill would also impose a federal tax on cannabis products and direct some of that revenue to grant programs meant to support people from communities most impacted by the prohibition who want to participate in the industry. It would transfer regulatory authority over cannabis from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
References
Ep 24, Part III: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Kahn
December 26th 2024In the final part of this episode, Evan Friedmann and Yasha Kahn discuss the need for a national entity to centralize cannabis data collection, moving from snapshot data to continuous updates. They emphasize the importance of accurate lab data and adverse event tracking, suggesting QR codes on packaging to report issues. Yasha suggests harsher consequences for result manipulation and suggests collaboration between state departments and federal entities to support underfunded regulators. They also discuss the potential benefits of off-the-shelf testing and the importance of stability testing. Finally, Yasha shares his top three reading recommendations for the audience.
Ep 24, Part II: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Kahn
December 12th 2024Evan Friedmann and Yasha Kahn, co-founder of MCR Labs, discuss the discrepancies between current regulations and data on mycotoxins and pesticides in cannabis products. They highlight the need for updated regulations based on new data, emphasizing the importance of accurate testing and labeling. They also discuss the issue of result manipulation, particularly in THC content, and the need for public health officials to address this. Yasha suggests making testing data public to enhance oversight and suggests a national entity to manage this data for better consistency and public safety.
