Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) are soliciting support for the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA), a bill that would effectively legalize cannabis at the federal level. The legislation seeks to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act schedule entirely, ending the threat of federal prosecution for cannabis-related activities in states where it is legal.
This article was updated Nov. 8 to include the legislation text. A U.S. congresswoman who became the Republican face of a federal cannabis reform bill co-sponsored said it "will help make our communities and small businesses safer by giving legal cannabis businesses access to traditional banking services."
Co-sponsors said it "will help make our communities and small businesses safer by giving legal cannabis businesses access to traditional banking services." The bill also includes provisions to promote social equity in the cannabis industry by reinvesting tax revenue into communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs.
Most Americans favor federal cannabis legal. You'd think that the federal government would have figured something out by now. Nope. With the introduction of the CAOA, there is renewed hope for federal cannabis reform and the end of prohibition.
This blog post was submitted to the Senate Finance Committee under their request for comments on the initial draft of this legislation. The bill is expected to undergo revisions and amendments as it moves through the legislative process.
Cannabis legal has gained traction in some states but not others. 19 states allow adults to possess, use cannabis for adult use. The CAOA seeks to create a uniform federal framework for cannabis regulation to provide clarity and consistency across the country.
Senator Murray Helps Introduce the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act · Protects public health · Protects public safety · Prioritizes social equity in the cannabis industry. This comprehensive legislation addresses key issues related to cannabis legal, including public health, public safety, and social equity.
When Democrats took control of the House, Senate and White House in January 2021, supporters of marijuana policy reform were ecstatic at the possibility of federal cannabis legal. The introduction of the CAOA represents a major step forward in that direction, bringing the country closer to ending prohibition and creating a regulated cannabis market.
