Proposed by junior Senator from New Jersey:
Cory Booker (D)
Updated 5/1/2021
Finally, on August 1, 2017, a compassionate and knowledgeable Cannabis advocate and U.S. Senator (D-NJ), Corey Booker, introduced a new bill that proposes the legalization of all Cannabis products at the Federal level. Called “The Marijuana Justice Act”, this appeared to be just another bill that tries to face down the racketeers and their lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
The main objective of the bill was twofold according to Booker. The first is of course is to have Cannabis (marijuana and all related Cannabis products including hemp) removed from the Schedule 1 classification as a “dangerous drug” equivalent to heroin and methamphetamine. The bill also incentivized the few remaining states to legalize the plant – at the very least for medical purposes.
Subsequently, this legislation and many other forces over the years since the introduction of The Marijuana Justice Act resulted in the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) finally acquiescing to overwhelming public and legal pressure in December 2020 when the entire plant and all of its extracts were removed from Schedule 1 and re-classified under the least harmful Schedule 5.
The second objective was and still is directed more toward his own constituency. Booker and many other legislators were very critical of the plant’s prohibition and the seemingly endless “War on Drugs” effects on low-income citizens especially those of color. Booker states that for too many decades, the War on Drugs has “locked up millions of people who are non-violent drug offenders.” The proposed bill would also be retroactive in the sense that it would “expunge” earlier marijuana offenses, and it would also allow those currently imprisoned to apply for re-sentencing according to new, proposed Federal laws.
Furthermore, Federal funds available to States would be withheld for non-compliance and those funds re-directed to a “community reinvestment fund” to rehabilitate, train, and provide employment services for those former prisoners who are largely comprised of “people of color”.
Federal Cannabis Legislation in U.S.
The Marijuana Justice Act proposed that the effects of the bill should also be retroactive in the sense that it would “expunge” earlier marijuana offenses. It would also allow those currently imprisoned to apply for re-sentencing according to the new Federal law.
Fast-forward to December of 2020 when The DEA finally acquiesced to public and legal pressure to re-classify the Cannabis plant including all of the plant's natural compounds. The result was a rescheduling of Cannabis (marijuana, hemp, hashish, etc.) from Schedule 1 to Schedule 5 which is designated as the least harmful types of drugs on the list.
Furthermore, Federal funds available to States would be withheld for non-compliance and those funds re-directed to a “community reinvestment fund” to rehabilitate, train, and provide employment services for those former prisoners who are largely comprised of “people of color”.
As we all should know, there is increasing bipartisan support for the federal legalization of Marijuana by Congress, but not enough to get traction from similar bills in the recent past introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (D) and another by Rep. Tom Garrett (R)... and many others including 'Libertarian Lite’ Sen. Rand Paul (R).
These are my political heroes on all sides because I know as they do that a completely bio-sustainable Cannabis industry lowers healthcare costs born by taxpayers, provides countless jobs, and business opportunities that have been artificially suppressed for almost a century. If we could just let it happen, true medical and economic ‘miracles’ are within our reach.
“States have so far led the way in reforming our criminal justice system, and it’s about time the federal government catches up and begins to assert leadership.”
– Sen. Cory Booker
What is the Marijuana Justice Act?
And then there’s the irrepressible President Trump who professed his desire to delegate/relegate the subject of legalizing medical marijuana to the individual States as our U.S. Constitution intended. But since he chose Jeff Sessions as Attorney General whose position is once again misaligned with his own and even very vocal stating “we should enforce all drug laws to the greatest extent”. It’s clear that Mr. Sessions would like to lock us all up in prison for even using it as legitimate and highly effective medication which didn't bode well with those American’s who want to “take back our country”, much less "Make America Great Again.
Most all current, national polls show that over 65% of Americans feel that Cannabis or “marijuana” should be legal as medication and in any of the myriad forms that the plant yields. Nevertheless, the public's attitudes are still not reflected in Congress.
Federal Marijuana Legalization
Never mind that 44 States have legalized at least some form of the plant… like the vitally important cannabinoid CBD (cannabidiol) which is turning the entire field of neurology on its proverbial head.
