Multiple GOP Senators Oppose Legalizing Pot After MORE Act Vote |

One of the most pressing current issues for cannabis advocates across the country is how US senators, including GOP party members, plan to vote on several federal laws to end cannabis prohibition. Ten or more GOP senators, plus every Democratic vote, would be required to pass.

Shortly after the introduction of the MORE (Marijuana Reinvestment and Expungement) bill in the US House of Representatives, on April 5 a CNS News journalist confronted several senators in the Capitol and asked them if they used cannabis themselves. Senators disagreed on whether or not cannabis should be legalized, leaving it up to states to decide — almost entirely at party level.

CNS News asked Senator Ted Cruz, “The House of Representatives voted to legalize cannabis last week. Do you use cannabis, and if not, why not?”

“I’m not doing it because it’s illegal and because it hurts you,” Senator Cruz replied. “It’s not healthy.” Senator Cruz has bounced back and forth on the subject of cannabis over the past few years.

Forbes Senior Contributor Kris Kane listed Senator Cruz as one of the “5 Worst U.S. Senators on Marijuana Policy.” One can only wonder why he made the list, despite occasionally siding with cannabis when it suits him.

Senator Cruz’s testimony was followed up by other GOP senators, including Senators James Lankford and Rick Scott. When also asked if he uses cannabis, Senator Lankford said: “Do I use it? No, absolutely not.”

Lankford added that consumers need to follow the science. “I understand that the House will try to skip the science and say we won’t look at that because people are using it; we’re just going to let it happen,” Lankford said. “But increasing cannabis use doesn’t make our streets safer, doesn’t make our workplaces safer; it doesn’t make our families stronger.”

Senator Rick Scott said, “Okay, I don’t support that. I had family members who had a lot of drug problems, so I won’t do it.”

A Democrat was also interviewed. Senator Elizabeth Warren was also asked by a CNS News correspondent if she smoked cannabis, pointing out that you don’t have to use it to understand that cannabis should be legalized. “I don’t use it, but I believe it should be legal,” she said. “We need to regulate our banking laws and our tax laws around a business that earns users billions of dollars and right now takes a lot of risk out of a system that is legal in some places but illegal at the federal level. and it makes no sense.”

On April 1st, the US House of Representatives voted and passed the MORE Act, or HR 3617, in a plenary vote. It is the second time the US House of Representatives has approved the bill as the historic bill makes its way to the Senate.

The MORE bill passed by a majority of 220 to 204, mostly on the party line. An earlier version of the bill was passed in December 2020 — also by a mostly party vote — and was the first comprehensive cannabis policy reform bill to receive a vote in plenary or be approved by either chamber of Congress.

“Specifically, marijuana will be removed from the list of proposed substances under the Controlled Substances Act and criminal penalties for a person who manufactures, distributes or possesses marijuana will be eliminated,” reads the summary of the bill.

The MORE bill faces what some are calling an uphill battle as it would need the support of the GOP to get the bill approved and sent to President Joe Biden’s desk.