Senate Dems unveil their plan to legalize pot at the federal level

NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez reports on the Senate’s efforts to legalize marijuana at the federal level. For access to live and exclusive video from CNBC subscribe to CNBC PRO: https://cnb.cx/2NGeIvi

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer proposed legislation Wednesday to legalize marijuana at the federal level, a move aimed at easing restrictive drug policies that have disproportionally impacted communities of color and the poor.

The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and introduce regulations to tax cannabis products.

The proposal would expunge federal records of nonviolent cannabis offenders and allow people serving time in federal prison for nonviolent marijuana crimes to petition a court for resentencing.

“This is monumental. At long last, we are taking steps in the Senate to right the wrongs of the failed war on drugs,” Schumer, D-N.Y., said during a press conference at the Capitol. Schumer unveiled the draft along with Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Senator Cory Booker, D-N.J.

The plan would also create an Opportunity Trust Fund from new cannabis tax revenue in order to invest in programs for communities most affected by the “failed War on Drugs,” according to a draft of the bill.

The plan to decriminalize marijuana will likely face a contentious battle in the Senate, as it’s generally opposed by Republicans and some moderate Democrats and has not received an endorsement from President Joe Biden. Schumer will require 60 votes, including at least 10 GOP votes, to pass it through the Senate.

So far, 37 states and the District of Columbia have legalized the medical use of cannabis and 18 states along with D.C. have legalized recreational use of the drug by adults. However, the drug remains illegal under federal law.

Public polling shows that nearly 70% of Americans support legalizing the drug.

“For decades, our federal government has waged a War on Drugs that has unfairly impacted low-income communities and communities of color,” Booker said in a statement. “While red and blue states across the country continue to legalize marijuana, the federal government continues to lag woefully behind. It is time for Congress to end the federal marijuana prohibition and reinvest in communities most impacted by the failed War on Drugs.”

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46 Comments

  1. Nick Edwards on July 18, 2021 at 9:03 pm

    hemp derived delta 8 THC is legal in all 50 states and does the same thing 😂 anyone can buy it online and have it shipped to their door



  2. 丂ㄒㄖ几乇尺_420 on July 18, 2021 at 9:04 pm

    People shouldn’t get fired from their jobs for testing positive for THC



  3. VividElites - RGH Modding on July 18, 2021 at 9:05 pm

    "We don’t need the extreme of 99% THC dabs" oh okay cause I WANT other plant oil bs in my dabs other than a literally cancer fighting molecule, what kind of logic is that…



  4. Kasson Kauth on July 18, 2021 at 9:06 pm

    Just be sure to market it for school minded people



  5. Shirley LaVerne Rose on July 18, 2021 at 9:06 pm

    Ooh my 🧦 i love ur socks:);) 😘 💋 😚



  6. GorgeousGutterKid on July 18, 2021 at 9:09 pm

    this stuff nowadays puts me right to sleep from a decent bonger. I like it.



  7. Mercedes Beard on July 18, 2021 at 9:12 pm

    As badly as I want this to happen, I’m not going to hold my breath. There are way too many clueless, ignorant, braindead idiots in Congress and don’t even get me started on that poor, out of touch excuse of a president.



  8. TomSuntotheMax on July 18, 2021 at 9:15 pm

    About time!! Lets get this one passed – this angry nation needs to chill and that would certainly help.



  9. Hank Amarillo on July 18, 2021 at 9:19 pm

    quit calling it "pot" cnbc….



  10. Psalm Ninety-One on July 18, 2021 at 9:20 pm

    As a Republican and a Christian I believe marijuana needs to be legal nationwide and regulated for purity and quality so it is safe for all to enjoy. There are millions of people who need this for pain and chronic medical conditions in addition to recreational use. God gave us this plant to enjoy. Republicans and Democrats need to come together to get this taken care of.



  11. lil joe on July 18, 2021 at 9:20 pm

    So from this stand point when will it be officially legal on a federal level any guess? What’s the hold up ?



  12. JohnnyDoe on July 18, 2021 at 9:20 pm

    If they pull that off they just won’t 2022 lol



  13. 9latinum Studioz on July 18, 2021 at 9:20 pm

    Work on those prices – Medical Marijuana shouldn’t be more than double the price of street weed 🤦🤦



  14. Kate on July 18, 2021 at 9:21 pm

    The government is going to put a big ‘sin’ tax on cannabis just like tobacco and alcohol. Sin taxes should support local schools and the poor and should NOT go to federal government but stay locally to help the communities. edit: Democrats like to dangle federally legalized cannabis, then they always drop the ball with so many excuses. Its a false promise



  15. RunningBear on July 18, 2021 at 9:21 pm

    They’ve already drafted these types of bills and they never pass 😡. Everyone thinks that the democrats care about fixing the war on drugs, health care and global warming. Well they’ve literally had all the power for the past 8 months and they haven’t fixed any of it yet 🤦. Please explain to me the point of voting for democrats!! Isn’t this evidence that they don’t actually care about these things!!!?? They literally have all the power right now so why haven’t they changed anything yet!!!!! If none of those things get fixed within the next 4 years then there’s literally no reason to vote for them anymore and it’s 💯 proof that they’re lying to us!.



  16. ME MyselfNi on July 18, 2021 at 9:22 pm

    It’s garbage



  17. Bob S. on July 18, 2021 at 9:22 pm

    marijuana. i love it i’m a veteran with PTSD and chronic pain i’m in Texas i strongly believe in living by the law of the land. there for i cant buy or have marijuana in any way shape or form



  18. Melissa A on July 18, 2021 at 9:23 pm

    FREE ✨🍁💚 THE ✨🍁💚 WEED ✨🍁💚



  19. Stonedd. Rylee on July 18, 2021 at 9:25 pm

    Kamala Harris said no to people who have smoked marijuana. But she smoked marijuana 🤔 how come she gets special privileges… WHY??? 🤔



  20. Mike on July 18, 2021 at 9:25 pm

    No drug testing federal jobs.



  21. Psy omnics on July 18, 2021 at 9:26 pm

    finally. Thank you enlightened ones up there high up in power.



  22. Whitney Bennett on July 18, 2021 at 9:26 pm

    <.I güess you’ve heard about t.rading the can#abis st0ck mark3t and it’s pr⏺fits made on weekly bas¡s ☺



  23. Caesar Santizo on July 18, 2021 at 9:27 pm

    The map is wrong. Alabama allows medical marijuana not recreational.



  24. Mason Smith on July 18, 2021 at 9:27 pm

    In the wake of such good news would anyone like to help this man get some bud today for your donation of just $10 you can help a stoner get bud today (Sarah McLachlan music playing in the background) so please help out this stoner cash app $blacklivesmatter132 if you would like to help this poor stoner there are many more like him but let’s start here



  25. Herman A on July 18, 2021 at 9:28 pm

    These dummies still think legal weed is going to be bad for kids.



  26. Special K on July 18, 2021 at 9:34 pm

    Kevins points are so off base, if he is so worried about high potency, wouldn’t a regulated market that allows buyers to choose potency of cannabis be beneficial? It doesn’t make sense to me



  27. sour vampire on July 18, 2021 at 9:34 pm

    Biden ain’t even president, at least Trump legalized hemp in back in 2018



  28. wouldUrather? on July 18, 2021 at 9:35 pm

    North america can change with better healthcare, childcare, basic income and legalization of all drugs and safe injection sites.



  29. jensonee on July 18, 2021 at 9:37 pm

    schumer says he’ll do something about legalizing weed SOON! that was last March. now it will happen in April. schumer’s SOON is 12 MONTHS long.



  30. RP SC on July 18, 2021 at 9:37 pm

    Just legalize it.Pretty soon it will be 100% legal in 48 states (Texas and Utah will probably fight til the end).



  31. Stonedd. Rylee on July 18, 2021 at 9:39 pm

    Only good thing Democrats did. But these mfs are so fruity they said no dabs 😐😐😐😐



  32. Lorenzo B. on July 18, 2021 at 9:40 pm

    Lemme go buy some more up pot! Uhhh I mean stock!



  33. Leedle Lee on July 18, 2021 at 9:40 pm

    Pot



  34. Mavrik0313 on July 18, 2021 at 9:41 pm

    My only chargers at all are for marijuana. I wish the would hurry up with this.



  35. Carolina Guy on July 18, 2021 at 9:41 pm

    We all or should know that the only reason it’s illegal at the federal level is because of money. None of those political losers do anything unless it’s for the almighty dollar. They’re all worthless children…



  36. Diego Salazar on July 18, 2021 at 9:42 pm

    I’m not that smart what does all this mean and will this involve Texas



  37. abaabaaba on July 18, 2021 at 9:45 pm

    This was on p1 for a search for "apocalypse." I see what you did there, YT.



  38. Noir Savage on July 18, 2021 at 9:45 pm

    We’re gonna smoke it regardless might as well make it legal🤣



  39. Stonedd. Rylee on July 18, 2021 at 9:50 pm

    Politicians are not required to take a drug test. Hmmm🤔



  40. A H on July 18, 2021 at 9:51 pm

    Yeah I am not a fan of a 25% Federal Tax on top of a high State Tax and Local Tax, so frankly it’s a ploy to tax people to an incredible rate, the tax is kinda racist because it’s paid for “social equity” when it will be everyone no matter the race paying the tax, I’d rather there be no large tax on an item the grows from the ground.



  41. afterwork art on July 18, 2021 at 9:52 pm

    I think the worst part of this whole thing is that these big mouthed senators took all this time and all we got was a draft of the bill… and now we have to wait until September to hear anything else about it… seems more like an effort to secure a few votes than just doing the right thing… and its inevitable at this point!!!



  42. Draymond Black on July 18, 2021 at 9:55 pm

    Republicans will shut this down asap



  43. natedoggcata on July 18, 2021 at 9:56 pm

    "and is marketing high potency pot to kids"

    And there it is, without fail. Can these "won’t someone think of the children" boomers just go away already?



  44. Ashton Dotson on July 18, 2021 at 9:57 pm

    Call your representatives and demand legalization or there WILL be protests!



  45. RunningBear on July 18, 2021 at 9:57 pm

    When 68% of the country wants something to be legal it’s time to legalize it!! End of story!!! If you don’t listen to us you’re the one’s that should be thrown in prison!!!



  46. ME MyselfNi on July 18, 2021 at 9:58 pm

    I helped make pot legal now I have lung cancer