Legislation to federally end marijuana prohibition and allow for expungements continues to gain momentum in the U.S. House, with sponsors and cosponsors now spanning 26 different states and the District of Columbia.
The measure, which would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and create a process for clearing past convictions, has drawn wide-ranging support. Lawmakers from across the country—including Nevada, Minnesota, New York, California, Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan, Vermont, Maine, Washington, Texas, Missouri, Florida, Colorado, Georgia, New Jersey, Illinois, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Ohio, and New Mexico—have signed on, alongside Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton of D.C.
In total, the bill is sponsored by representatives from more than half of U.S. states, showing strong recognition of the failures of prohibition and the need for national reform. However, all sponsors are Democrat, with not a single Republican currently sponsoring the proposal.
The legislation, titled the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, is framed as both a criminal justice and public health measure. In addition to decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level, it would expunge eligible convictions, providing relief to those who continue to face barriers due to outdated laws. Supporters argue this approach would better align federal policy with the majority of states, where marijuana is already legal in some form.
The breadth of congressional backing suggests that momentum for reform is building in ways that opponents cannot match, reflecting the growing consensus among voters and elected officials that marijuana prohibition is out of step with modern realities.
For the full text of the MORE Act, click here.
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