Chuck Schumer Introduces Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana at Federal Level

On Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer introduced a bill that would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level, reports The Hill.

The bill is called the Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act and would remove marijuana from the list of scheduled substances under the 1970 Controlled Substances Act. Marijuana is currently listed as a schedule one drug by the Drug Enforcement Administration. This means it’s classified as a drug that has “a high potential for abuse and the potential to create severe psychological and/or physical dependence.” Other schedule one drugs include heroine, LSD, ecstasy, peyote and Quaaludes. According to the DEA, some of the schedule two drugs that are classified as less harmful than marijuana include meth, oxycodone, Adderall and cocaine. Schumer’s bill would completely remove marijuana from the schedule.

However, states would still have the power to decide how they will treat marijuana possession, and federal authorities will still monitor and prevent trafficking between states with varying marijuana laws. The bill also keeps safety in mind by giving $250 million over the span of five years to highway safety research in order to analyze and assess driving under the influence of marijuana, as well as to develop technology to measure impairment. The Department of Treasury would have the authority to regulate marijuana advertising in the same way tobacco advertising is regulated to ensure children are protected. Finally, the bill would invest $500 million across five years to the secretary of Health and Human Services to ensure public health. HHS would work with the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration to research the effects of THC and how it can be used in the medical field.