January 17, 2018

REP TITUS CALLS TO DE-SCHEDULE AND REGULATE MARIJUANA LIKE ALCOHOL NATIONWIDE

Today Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada’s First Congressional District released the following statement after signing onto the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act, H.R. 1841, legislation directing the Department of Justice to issue a final order that removes marijuana in any form from all schedules of controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Functions of the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration relating to marijuana enforcement shall be transferred to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

Last week, Rep. Titus was the first member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation to publicly call for the de-scheduling of marijuana.

“Nevada has shown that regulating marijuana like alcohol works. It is time the nation follows our state’s lead by removing cannabis from all schedules of the Controlled Substances Act and setting up a framework to guide businesses and consumers. The majority of Americans are sick of the federal government stoking fear and ignoring the dangers of the black market.”

BACKGROUND

The bill eliminates marijuana from regulation under various federal laws including the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act, the National Forest System Drug Control Act of 1986, the federal Wiretap Act, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998.

Further, it subjects marijuana to the provisions that apply to: (1) intoxicating liquors under the Original Packages Act, the Webb-Kenyon Act, and the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000; and (2) distilled spirits under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act.

The Food and Drug Administration shall have the same authorities with respect to marijuana as it has for alcohol. Functions of the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration relating to marijuana enforcement shall be transferred to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The ATF is renamed the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana, Firearms and Explosives and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is renamed the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Marijuana Tax and Trade Bureau.

TITUS’ RECORD ON MARIJUANA IN 115^th CONGRESS:

• Sponsor of Amendment to Omnibus Appropriations Bill for FY18 prohibiting the use of funds to prosecute members of federally-recognized Indian tribes located in states that have medical marijuana programs.
• Cosponsor of Amendment to Omnibus Appropriations Bill for FY18 on:
  • Rohrabacher-Blumenauer prohibiting prosecution in Medical Marijuana states
  • Blumenauer veterans equal access amendment
  • Heck (WA) providing safe haven for financial institutions working with marijuana businesses

BILLS CO-SPONSORING

• H.R.975 — Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2017
• H.R. 4779 – REEFER Act of 2018
• H.R.1810 — Small Business Tax Equity Act of 2017
• H.R.1820 — Veterans Equal Access Act
• H.R.331 — States' Medical Marijuana Property Rights Protection Act
• H.R. 2215 - Secure And Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2017
• Member of the House Marijuana Working Group and the House Cannabis Caucus.