Earlier today, the House approved a piece of legislation that, if passed through the Senate and signed by the President, could legalize marijuana nationwide.
Largely along party line (220-204), lawmakers passed a bill, titled the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act. Only three Republicans joined all Democrats who voted in favor of the bill. Two Democrats voted against it.
Those who have been convicted of marijuana-related charges will have them cleared thanks to the MORE Act, and it would formally be removed from the federal list of controlled substances.
The MORE Act would impose a federal tax on marijuana sales to help fund community-involved programs which help communities hurt by the war on drugs policies.
The legislation will make its way to the Senate, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is said to already be working on a legalization bill as soon as this spring. It remains vague as to whether or not the bill could clear the needed 60 votes to advance in Senate.
