Political

Nebraska’s Supreme Court has removed the state’s medical cannabis initiative from the November ballot following a legal challenge by the Lancaster County Sheriff.

They argue legalization is a racial justice issue, but critics question the timing in the midst of a pandemic and high-stakes presidential contest.

Democrats are taking an unprecedented gamble this month: voting to legalize cannabis at the federal level.

The MORE Act would remove the penalties for marijuana, erase some criminal records and create grant programs for people hit especially hard by the war on drugs.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee announced it would mark up the Medical Marijuana Research Act this week; the bill proposes streamlining the cannabis research process.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee announced it will consider legislation to expand cannabis research opportunities on Wednesday, Marijuana Moment reports.

“Times have changed. Marijuana should not be a crime,” Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) said last year when she and Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) introduced the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act). The current Democratic vice-presidential nominee called the legalization of marijuana an important step "toward racial and economic justice."

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is again urging state lawmakers to legalize recreational marijuana.

Wolf first made the pitch last year but renewed the call Thursday, saying it will help the state recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

"I think now, more than ever, especially right in the middle of this pandemic, we have a desperate need for the economic boost that the legalization of cannabis could provide," he said.

These days, it is pretty clear that Americans are finally ready to end federal cannabis prohibition. Eleven states and Washington, D.C., have already legalized the plant for recreational use, and more than half of the country lives in a state with some form of medical marijuana law on the books.

And why legalization advocates are so excited about it.

Recently, the excellent website, MarijuanaMoment.com, carried two articles by Kyle Jaeger, their Los Angeles-based associate editor, "Trump Voices Concern That Putting Marijuana On The Ballot Makes Republicans Lose" and "Biden's Marijuana Decriminalization Plan Is 'Meaningless', says Democratic Congressman"; that really makes me wonder i

The House will vote on legalizing marijuana next month.

States would still have to vote to legalize the drug. Marijuana is already legal in 11 states.

The MORE Act would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and erase some cannabis criminal records. The vote will come during the September work period, according to an email Majority Whip Jim Clyburn’s (D-S.C.) office that was sent to members Friday.

The marijuana measure towards the legalization and sale of medical marijuana is popular amongst Nebraska voters, but faces pushback from well-connected Republican leaders.