House Votes to Decriminalize Marijuana at Federal Level

Supporters say the pot bill would help reverse adverse effects of the decades-long “war on drugs” by removing marijuana, or cannabis, from the list of federally controlled substances while allowing states to set their own rules on pot.

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FILE - In this Aug. 15, 2019 file photo, marijuana grows at an indoor cannabis farm in Gardena, Calif. Top prosecutors in the vast majority of Arizona counties are dropping all existing possession of marijuana cases even before a new voter-approved law eliminating criminal penalties for having small amounts of the drug takes effect when results of the Nov. 3, 2020 election are certified. An Associated Press survey of county attorneys received responses from 13 of 15 elected county attorneys, all of whom said they were either immediately dropping existing cases or in one case pausing prosecutions and planning to drop them when Proposition 207 goes into effect. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)
Image via AP Photo/Richard Vogel

This article was republished here with permission from The Associated Press, however it is no longer available to read on Snopes.com.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic-controlled House on Friday approved a bill to decriminalize and tax marijuana at the federal level, reversing what supporters called a failed policy of criminalization of pot use and taking steps to address racial disparities in enforcement of federal drug laws. Opponents, mostly Republicans, called the bill a hollow political gesture and mocked Democrats for bringing it up at a time when thousands of Americans are dying from the coronavirus pandemic.…

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