Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and blog in Ohio and in the Midwest, and the most read independent digital news sites in Ohio. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a San Francisco Democrat, the Democratically-dominated U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Friday to decriminalize recreational marijuana at the federal level, an unprecedented move towards possibly making marijuana legal nationwide someday, and an indication that Congress wants to have some say, one way or another, over marijuana laws from a federal perspective.
Sponsored by Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., the measure would remove marijuana from the federal list of controlled substances, provides for federal expunging of marijuana convictions, and would no longer make college-bound students with such convictions ineligible for federally assisted aid and student loans on that basis.
The bill passed primarily along partisan lines, 228-164 with six Democrats joining 158 Republicans in opposing the measure.
It was the first of its sort by either chamber of Congress.
The sweeping legislation, officially dubbed the MORE Act, would have widespread impact on communities of color like Blacks strapped by a racist and unconstitutional legal system that penalizes them with excessive jail and prison terms for low level marijuana infractions when on parole or probation and otherwise, and that keeps them disproportionately unemployed and stigmatized.
The research and testing bill would also remove the threat of deportation based on marijuana violations and would provide for federal resources to aid communities targeted for criminally related drug prosecutions through an excise tax.
Currently 36 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana and 15 states as well as the District of Columbus have legalized it for adult recreational use.
The measure now heads to the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate and has an uphill battle as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has promised a fight over the legislative issue by Republicans.
Opponents say that health and safety impacts could slow any progress on marijuana reform at the federal level.
According to an October poll from Gallup, 68% of respondents said they support decriminalizing marijuana, compared to 32% who said they do not.
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and blog in Ohio and in the Midwest, and the most read independent digital news sites in Ohio. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.
