OMG! See The New American Law on Indian Hemp
The US House of Representatives on Friday passed a sweeping reform bill that would decriminalize Indian Hemp at the federal level and expunge many non-violent criminal records.
Advocates say it is a key step towards ending failed drug policies, which increasingly are seen as having disproportionately negatively affected minority groups and lower income earners.
The bill, which includes a proposed tax to help community programmes, was proposed by the Democrats and nearly all lawmakers in the centre-left party voted in favour. They were joined by a handful of libertarian-leaning Republicans, with a final vote of 228-164.
The Indian Hemp bill will likely stall in the Republican-controlled Senate, but the passage of a comprehensive plan in the lower chamber could push President-elect Joe Biden to take executive action on marijuana after he takes office in January.
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Harris said that Congress “must act to remove the burden of Indian Hemp convictions,” adding that the criminal records act is a roadblock to job and housing opportunities.
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Biden was once a tough-on-crime senator, but in his campaign for president staked out some more moderate positions.
The move mirrors that of many Democrats who have shifted from supporting the so-called war on drugs to new policies that are increasingly being coupled with wider policing and judicial reforms.
Indian Hemp is now legal in a number of US states, whether for medical or recreational use. The November election saw a number of pro-cannabis ballot measures pass in both Republican and Democratic states. More states are planning action in 2021.
