Cannabis decriminalization passes House panel- Fairfax criminal lawyer

Cannabis decriminalization moves forward in U.S. House of Representatives – Fairfax criminal lawyer on the bill’s contents and prospects

Cannabis decriminalization and legalization movement has been proceeding at a dizzying pace in numerous states over the last years, after previous decades of organization, toil and sweat by marijuana activists nationwide. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I deeply thank these activists for their accomplishments, and look forward to seeing the marijuana — and hopefully also hash oil — prosecution changes that will take place with the self-labeled reformers who will become chief prosecutors in the beginning of 2020 in Fairfax County and Arlington County, and possibly Loudoun County, Virginia.

Now, the Judiciary Committee of the United States House of Representatives on November 20, 20120, passed a bill that not only heavily decriminalizes cannabis and removes it from classification as a Schedule I drug (that schedule is for the most dangerous of drugs), but also covers expungement of federal marijuana convictions, not making pot a hurdle to immigration status, and including marijuana businesses for Small Business Administration funding. The bill is the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2019 (MORE Act). The most recent bill text I found is here at the House of Representatives website. The MORE Act passed the committee by a wide margin of 24-10, with two Republicans voting in favor.

Virginia drug lawyer on the MORE Act’s prospects for full Congressional passage and its significance for further inroads for cannabis decriminalization and legalization

The MORE cannabis Act will next proceed for a full floor vote in the House of Representatives, which has a Democratic majority, followed by consideration by the Senate, which has a Republican majority.

If the MORE Act is going to pass, likely will be in a more restrained version. Nonetheless, whether or not the MORE Act passes, the Act’s wide-margin success in the House Judiciary Committee is a major event in continuing the forward movement with cannabis decriminalization and legalization, and keeping marijuana law reform on America’s political agenda.

Let the Democratic takeover of the Virginia legislature spell significant decriminalization of marijuana and other drugs

In January 2020, a historical shift takes place when Democrats become the majority in both the Virginia House and Senate. While not all Democrats are drug reformers (consider Democratic presidential primary candidate Joe Biden), cannabis and drug decriminalization (and hopefully treating hash oil / dabs / wax/ THC oil as no more serious than ordinary marijuana) ) can become a key hallmark for the Democratic-controlled Virginia legislature.

Fairfax marijuana lawyer on what Virginia pot defendants should do when charged with pot and hash oil offenses

Every marijuana and drug defendant needs to obtain a qualified lawyer and fully defend against such prosecutions, including in Fairfax and Arlington County, where time and criminal defense lawyer efforts will show what defense-friendly shift will take place in those counties with prosecutions for cannabis possession, dealing, medical marihuana and cultivation.

Fairfax criminal lawyer Jonathan L. Katz pursues your best defense in the Northern Virginia courts and beyond, including Arlington County, Alexandria state and federal, Prince William, and Loudoun Counties. Jon Katz will be delighted to meet you in person for a free consultation about your court-pending criminal defense case, by your scheduling a confidential consultation with his staff at 703-383-1100.