The U.S. House of Representatives voted last week in favor of an amendment to protect all state, territory and tribal marijuana programs from federal interference. The measure prevents the Department of Justice from using its money to impede the implementation of cannabis legalization laws. It passed in a 254-163 vote on the floor.

“This is the most significant vote on marijuana policy reform that the House of Representatives has taken this year,” NORML Political Director Justin Strekal said. “The importance of this bipartisan vote cannot be overstated as today; nearly one in four Americans reside in a jurisdiction where the adult use of cannabis is legal under state statute. It is time for Congress to acknowledge this reality and retain these protections in the final spending bill.”

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Also last week…
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced the “Substance Regulation and Safety Act,” which would deschedule cannabis, require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop rules that treat marijuana the same as tobacco, create a national research institute to evaluate the risks and benefits of cannabis, require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to impose quality control standards and mandate that the Department of Transportation study methods for detecting THC-impaired driving.

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Also in the House…
there are reports that leadership intends to hold a floor vote on a comprehensive cannabis legalization bill in September. Specifically, the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act, which was approved by the Judiciary Committee last year, would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, expunge the records of those with prior marijuana convictions and impose a federal five percent tax on sales. The resulting revenue would be reinvested in communities most impacted by the war on drugs. The Marijuana Justice Coalition (MJC), a coalition of civil rights and drug policy reform groups, including the ACLU, Human Rights Watch, Drug Policy Alliance and NORM, has circulated a letter to members of Congress, imploring them to sign onto the MORE Act.

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And finally…
as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) grumbles about provisions in the Democrats $3.4 trillion coronavirus relief package that allows cannabis businesses to work with federally-backed banks and insurers, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) shot back, calling cannabis a necessary “therapy” related to the public health.