The “States Reform Act” (SRA) was introduced on November 15, 2021, by Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC), which, if passed, will deschedule cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) (including all implementing regulations) while preserving state’s authority to regulate or prohibit cannabis (similar to alcohol); expunge existing criminal convictions; grandfather in existing state licenses; apply a federal excise tax of 3%; and revise the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to create a pathway for cannabis-infused foods, drugs, dietary supplements, and “designate state medical cannabis products.”
From the Representative’s website:
“Today, only 3 states lack some form of legal cannabis. My home state of South Carolina permits CBD, Florida allows medical marijuana, California and others have full recreational use, for example. Every state is different. Cannabis reform at the federal level must take all of this into account. And it’s past time federal law codifies this reality,” said Rep. Mace.
“This is why I’m introducing the States Reform Act, a bill which seeks to remove cannabis from Schedule I in a manner consistent with the rights of states to determine what level of cannabis reform each state already has, or not.
“This bill supports veterans, law enforcement, farmers, businesses, those with serious illnesses, and it is good for criminal justice reform. Furthermore, a super-majority of Americans support an end to cannabis prohibition, which is why only 3 states in the country have no cannabis reform at all.
“The States Reform Act takes special care to keep Americans and their children safe while ending federal interference with state cannabis laws. Washington needs to provide a framework which allows states to make their own decisions on cannabis moving forward. This bill does that,” she continued.
Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized the recreational use of cannabis, which is still prohibited by federal law.
The first-term House member’s legislation is said to place the interstate regulation of cannabis under the purview of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and limit the recreational use of cannabis to those 21 years of age and older.
