Congress is considering bill to research marijuana legalization across the country

Some members of Congress feel that the concept of marijuana legalization should be studied in depth in order to pass the best federal legislation. Senators Robert Menendez (D) and Rand Paul (R), together with representatives Sylvia Garcia (D) and Don Young (R), have introduced a bipartisan law called “The” in both chambers Marijuana Collection Act.

If passed, the bill would mandate the Minister of Health and Human Services, Attorney General, Minister of Labor and various health officials to investigate the taxed and regulated marijuana markets across the country over the next decade to learn more about what is legal Weeds affect state and local economies, public health, and criminal justice. Then national legalization might be more realistic.

“As more states legalize and regulate marijuana, we need to thoroughly examine how different laws and policies have been implemented in different states, what works, what doesn’t, and what can be replicated elsewhere,” said Senator Menendez said in a declaration attached to the invoice.

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“It is important to understand how communities and people are ultimately affected by the legalization of marijuana and its impact on the local economy, public health, criminal justice, employment, and our nation’s fight against opioid and other drug addictions. Having this data on hand and making it publicly available can help you make policy decisions and dispel misunderstandings about marijuana legalization. “

The word on the street is that the bill was introduced in response to recent pressures from Congress to legalize marijuana. It’s an alternative, a compromise, a trapdoor when Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer can’t use the magic he promised by ending the ban nationwide. The Marijuana Collection Act would allow the federal government to get a close look at the legal weed movement to see what works and what doesn’t. From there, lawmakers could craft a policy based on years of research, rather than just betting on it and hoping for the best.

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All data collected would be reported to the National Academy of Sciences every few years. Part of the goal is to see if legal marijuana can actually help cure the opioid epidemic.

“Congress and the American people need reliable evidence about the impact of states’ legal marijuana programs. We need independent data on how these programs affect national budgets, public health and employment, ”said representative Garcia. “This is especially important amid the pandemic, which has been characterized by isolation, depression and financial stress for many, and which has resulted in an alarming increase in opioid deaths – especially among color communities.”

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The courage of this legislation would be enormous for cannabis. It would allow Uncle Sam to see how marijuana legalization works on a large scale. However, if Congress signed up to the Marijuana Collection Act, it would ensure that federal legalization of marijuana is put on hold for another 10 years. On the other hand, the chances of federal cannabis reform taking shape in 2021 are not very good as the Senate grapples with the filibuster, lack of democratic support, and the real possibility of not being able to use the budget vote process to get around to move it forward.

The Marijuana Collection Act could be a way to unite the parties on this matter and move them forward in a tasty way. Even President Biden has stated that he would like to see more research before legalizing marijuana, as states have done for adults. We could see this legislation becoming this year’s rock star of cannabis reform.