# The MORE Act: What You Need to Know About Federal Cannabis Decriminalization

The MORE Act would remove marijuana from federal criminal law by taking it off the list of controlled substances. Right now, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug at the federal level, meaning the government treats it the same way it treats heroin or LSD. This bill would change that status entirely, making marijuana no longer a federal crime. The changes would apply retroactively, meaning people with past marijuana convictions could potentially benefit from this change.

Beyond just decriminalization, the bill addresses what supporters see as racial injustice in drug enforcement. The bill's findings point out that Black Americans are arrested for marijuana possession at nearly four times the rate of white Americans, despite similar usage rates. The bill also notes that fewer than one-fifth of cannabis business owners are minorities, and only about 4 percent are Black, even though many states now allow legal marijuana sales. The bill aims to help people harmed by decades of marijuana prohibition get a fair shot at participating in the legal cannabis industry and to clear their criminal records.

The practical effect would be significant: federal prosecutors could no longer charge people with marijuana possession or distribution under federal law. However, state laws would remain unchanged—states that have criminalized marijuana would still be able to enforce their own laws. The bill also includes provisions to help people with past marijuana convictions get their records expunged (cleared), which could help them find jobs and housing. Additionally, it would allow the federal government to invest resources in communities disproportionately affected by the war on drugs and remove barriers that have prevented people with drug convictions from starting cannabis businesses in states where it's legal.

MORE Act

Nadler, Jerrold

Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act or the MORE Act This bill decriminalizes marijuana. Specifically, it removes marijuana from the list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act and eliminates criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana. The bill also makes other changes, including the following: <ul> <li>replaces statutory references to marijuana and marihuana with cannabis, </li> <li>requires the Bureau of Labor Statistics to regularly publish demographic data on cannabis business owners and employees, </li> <li>establishes a trust fund to support various programs and services for individuals and businesses in communities impacted by the war on drugs, </li> <li>imposes an excise tax on cannabis products produced in or imported into the United States and an occupational tax on cannabis production facilities and export warehouses, </li> <li>makes Small Business Administration loans and services available to entities that are cannabis-related legitimate businesses or service providers, </li> <li>prohibits the denial of federal public benefits to a person on the basis of certain cannabis-related conduct or convictions, </li> <li>prohibits the denial of benefits and protections under immigration laws on the basis of an event (e.g., conduct or conviction) relating to possession or use of cannabis that is no longer prohibited under the bill, </li> <li>establishes a process to expunge convictions and conduct sentencing review hearings related to federal cannabis offenses, and </li> <li>directs the Government Accountability Office to study the societal impact of cannabis legalization. </li> </ul>