House Bill Seeks To End War On Marijuana, Spark Recovery Instead

The House Bill to end federal prohibition of cannabis, the Marijuana Justice Act of 2017, is gaining real traction as both a majority of american voters and a growing number of lawmakers agree that the war on drugs has done more harm than good and incarcerating people for non-violent marijuana crimes helps no one. In it's most necessary point, the bill would automatically expunge any and all marijuana possession convictions around the U.S. and allocate funds from marijuana tax revenue to help community development and services where arrest rates had the worst economic and racial biases. Officials in states on the verge of legalizing cannabis like New Jersey say they welcome federal legislation to move forward with proper policy but will continue to regulate the insutry without if necessary.

Introduced in the Senate last August by New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, the 'Marijuana Justice Act of 2017' seeks to remove cannabis from the U.S.' illegal and restricted drug 'schedule,' and to address the destructive impacts that cannabis prohibition continues to have on both individuals and their government.

Erik Altieri, Executive Director of the National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws (NORML), commented in a statement, "The Marijuana Justice Act is by far the most comprehensive piece of legislation ever introduced federally when it comes to ending our failed policy of prohibition and addressing the egregious harms that policy has wrought on already marginalized communities.”