U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) formally launched the States Reform Act on Monday, which seeks to finish the federal prohibition of hashish in favor of a tax-and-regulate mannequin much like alcohol, The State studies.
“This invoice helps veterans, legislation enforcement, farmers, companies, these with critical diseases, and it’s good for felony justice reform. The States Reform Act takes particular care to maintain Individuals and their youngsters secure whereas ending federal interference with state hashish legal guidelines.” — Rep. Nancy Mace, in a press release
Particularly, the proposal seeks a 3% federal excise tax on all hashish gross sales with proceeds reserved for legislation enforcement applications, aiding the federal Small Enterprise Administration, and supporting psychological well being initiatives for veterans. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Commerce Bureau could be tasked with federally regulating gross sales of the plant whereas the U.S. Division of Agriculture would handle hashish farming and cultivation; the FDA would preserve jurisdiction over medical hashish rules.
Whereas the invoice comprises language addressing the expungement of nonviolent federal hashish crimes, it stops in need of the social fairness clauses in different federal hashish payments just like the Marijuana Alternative Reinvestment and Expungement Act and the Hashish Administration and Alternative Act.
Mace’s invoice was co-sponsored by different Republican lawmakers together with U.S. Reps. Brian Mast (FL), Tom McClintock (CA), Peter Meijer (MI), and Don Younger (AK). However whereas hashish legalization is exceedingly standard with American voters — a latest Gallup ballot discovered that 68% of voters legalization, together with about 50% of Republicans — fellow GOP lawmakers in Mace’s house state of South Carolina had been fast to distance themselves from her plan.
“Our Celebration platform is evident: ‘We help agency enforcement of current legal guidelines in opposition to the abuse and distribution of managed substances, and we oppose any effort to legalize using managed substances,’ and that features marijuana,” stated Drew McKissick, Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Celebration, within the report.
However Mace stated her invoice solely provides states the choice of managing their very own hashish legal guidelines: “It’s not going to power hashish on South Carolina if South Carolina doesn’t need it,” she informed The State.
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