House votes to decriminalize pot

But Senate is expected to let federal proposal go up in smoke

WASHINGTON — Marijuana would be decriminalized at the federal level under legislation the House approved Friday as Democrats made the case for allowing states to set their own policies on pot.

The bill is unlikely to become law since it is expected to die in the Senate. That would mirror what happened when a similar House-passed measure removing marijuana from the list of federally controlled substances went nowhere in the Senate two years ago.

The House approved the bill Friday with a mostly party-line vote of 220-204. All but two voting Democrats backed the measure, while only three Republicans did.

The measure would require federal courts to expunge prior marijuana convictions and conduct resentencing hearings for those completing their sentences.

It also authorizes a 5 percent tax on marijuana and marijuana products that would gradually increase to 8 percent over five years. The money would be used for grant programs focused on job training, legal aid, substance abuse treatment and loans to help disadvantaged small businesses get into the marijuana industry.

Democrats said the nation’s federal prohibition on marijuana has had particularly devastating consequences for minority communities.

House Majority Leader Steny

Hoyer, D-MD., cited statistics that showed Black Americans were four times more likely than white Americans to be arrested for marijuana possession, even though they use it at similar rates.

Republicans who opposed the measure said marijuana is a gateway drug that would lead to greater use of opioids and other dangerous substances.

They also said the pot sold today is far more potent than what was sold decades ago, leading to greater impairment for those who use it.

They said decriminalization is not the priority that lawmakers should be focused on now, with the war in Ukraine and inflation driving up the cost of gas, food and other essential items.

Steny Hoyer