Democratic Senators To Introduce Bill For Federal Marijuana Legalization

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Efforts to legalize marijuana at the federal level are moving forward in Congress, according to a Marijuana Moment report.

Three Democratic senators discussed the issue Wednesday at a press conference organized by the Last Prisoner Project.

The three, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), said they plan to introduce legislation by the end of April aimed at federal marijuana legalization.

Wyman said the trio is attempting to recruit Republicans to join them in that effort.

“Cannabis legalization has proven successful at the state level. It’s high time that Congress catches up with the rest of the country,” Schumer said. “Of course, we know none of this is easy, especially in divided government. We need all of you to continue reaching out to members, especially Republican members, so we can make cannabis reform a reality.”

Schumer, Wyden, and Booker sent a letter to colleagues asking them to co-sponsor their Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA), which would eliminate federal criminal penalties for marijuana possession and establish a regulatory framework for cannabis products.

In the letter, the three senators note that more than half of all Americans live in states where marijuana is legal for anyone at least 21 years old. “The question today is not whether cannabis should be legal — many states have already moved ahead,” the said.  “The question now is whether cannabis should be subject to the same high regulatory standards, based on preserving public health and safety, that apply to alcohol and tobacco.”

A previous attempt to pass the CAOA in Congress in 2022 was unsuccessful.

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