Dual Bills Could Finally Lead to Nationwide Cannabis Legalization

We have been talking about this for years, so no one should get their hopes up, but two bills working their way through Congress could finally lead to nationwide cannabis legalization. If both pass and become law, they will have profound short- and long-term impacts on cannabis consumption. After years of stalling, it appears there may be enough bipartisan support to get both bills across the finish line.

What the Bills Accomplish

Both bills have been introduced to the House by Ohio Rep. Dave Joyce. Both enjoy support from Republican and Democrat cosponsors, giving them bipartisan legitimacy. Here is what they would accomplish:

1. State-By-State Legalization

The first bill is a modified version of a bill that has been considered in the past. As written, it would end all federal prohibitions against cannabis in states where either medical or recreational cannabis is already allowed. In essence, the bill cedes authority over cannabis to the states.

In Utah, where only medical cannabis is allowed, any and all federal prohibitions against medical cannabis would be lifted. In California, where both medical and recreational consumption are allowed, Washington would not prohibit either. And in the small number of states that still prohibit marijuana completely, federal prohibitions would remain intact.

2. Prepare for Nationwide Legalization

The more important of the two bills is known as the Preparing Regulators Effectively for a Post-Prohibition Adult-Use Regulated Environment (PREPARE) Act. Its primary goal is to mandate the establishment of a commission whose job would be to study the legalization issue and come up with a framework whereby cannabis could be regulated nationwide in a way that is similar to current alcohol regulations.

Regulating cannabis like alcohol is not a new idea. In fact, those of us who follow the industry have been writing about it for years. But this is the first time that federal lawmakers have taken the idea seriously enough to actually propose doable legislation.

If passed and signed into law, the commission would be established within 30 days of the president’s signing. Commission members would be selected from a group of federal regulatory agencies and industry experts.

Preparation for the Inevitable

Rep. Joyce has introduced both bills with the mindset that they are necessary to prepare for the inevitable. He and many of his colleagues do not see a future in which Washington continues to prohibit cannabis consumption. So rather than continuing to wait until the inevitable happens and then react, he wants to begin preparing for legalization now.

Setting up a framework to regulate cannabis similar to alcohol makes good sense. Cannabis may not be as harmful as some other drugs, but it is not harmless either. A good way to maintain some semblance of control once legalization happens is to treat cannabis like alcohol. What would that mean practically?

Easier on Businesses

Let us go back to Utah where only medical cannabis is allowed. Salt Lake City’s Beehive Farmacy would continue conducting business as normal. In all likelihood, they would have the option of importing medical cannabis products from other states. That could give them access to a broader market and cheaper prices.

It would also allow Beehive Farmacy to access banking services like any other business. It would allow the company to write off its business expenses so that taxes are only paid on actual profit. And of course, what applies to Beehive Farmacy would apply to marijuana businesses across the country.

Some in Washington are beginning to believe that marijuana legalization is inevitable. The House now has two pieces of legislation designed to prepare the country for it.