Marijuana Legalization Bills Introduced in Congress

On July 23, companion legislation was introduced in the House and Senate by Senator Kamala Harris of California and New York Congressman Jerrold Nadler to legalize and tax marijuana at the federal level. The tax revenue from this legislation would support job training, substance abuse treatment, literacy programs, and other services for communities that have been affected by the criminalization of marijuana. This legislation has been introduced at a time when many states are deciding whether to legalize marijuana for medical and/or recreational use, both of which are banned at the federal level.

Currently, 33 states, including New York, and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana, and 11 states and the District of Columbia have legalized the recreational use of marijuana for adults who are 21 or older. Lawmakers in New York and New Jersey recently introduced legislation to legalize recreational marijuana, but their efforts were stalled this past legislative session. However, proponents believe that it’s only a matter of time before this legislation is passed in both states.