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The lower house of the United States Congress on Friday passed a bill to remove cannabis from the federal list of dangerous drugs, a historic step towards the legalization of marijuana in the United States, AFP reports, noted by Agerpres.
The text was approved (228 votes in favor, 164 against) by the House of Representatives, where it was defended by the democratic majority. But it has a very good chance of being blocked in the Senate, which is currently controlled by the Republicans.
The law would criminalize possession of cannabis at the federal level, considered by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to be equivalent to LSD, cocaine or heroin, although its use is legal to varying degrees in many US states.
It would also overturn federal juvenile delinquency sentences under the drug law, which, according to the bill’s supporters, leads to mass incarceration, targeting minorities in particular.
According to the pro-cannabis organization NORML, it is the first time in 50 years that a chamber of Congress has reviewed the classification of cannabis.
“This is a historic moment,” Democratic Representative of Hawaii Tulsi Gabbard said before the vote. It is “a step towards ending the costly and destructive American war on drugs, which has turned ordinary Americans into criminals, destroyed families and ruined so many lives,” he explained.
The bill would also introduce a 5% tax on the sale of cannabis and its derivatives, to finance the reintegration of convicted inmates and aid for legal cannabis outlets, a booming multi-billion dollar industry. U.S. DOLLAR.
According to recent polls, more than two-thirds of Americans are in favor of legalizing cannabis.
In practice, however, cannabis would not be legal throughout the country, as several states will still have control over their own drug legislation.
The use of medical cannabis is legal in 33 of the 50 states, as well as in Washington, and in 11 states and the federal capital for recreational use.
“Most cannabis-related arrests are for mere possession and are made under US law by police in those states,” said Harris-Bricken’s attorney, Vince Sliwoski.
Opponents of the text insisted on the danger of addiction, especially among young people, and criticized the priority given to this vote at the expense of negotiations on a global economic recovery plan hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
The vote came two days after another historic UN decision. The United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs on Wednesday approved the removal of cannabis from its more stringent checklists, which is 59, and has discouraged its use for medical purposes.
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