House Democrats Reintroduce Federal Marijuana Legalization Bill

In 2025, Rep. Jerry Nadler reintroduced the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act in the U.S. House, aiming to federally legalize cannabis by removing it entirely from the Controlled Substances Act. The bill also seeks to expunge certain cannabis-related convictions and create reinvestment opportunities for communities harmed by past drug policies. Nadler emphasized that as more states legalize marijuana, federal laws must update to decriminalize the drug and address the consequences of the War on Drugs. This legislation contrasts with President Donald Trump’s consideration of reclassifying cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, a less comprehensive approach that was initially started under the Biden administration but stalled. Meanwhile, states like California continue to address marijuana regulation at the state level, with recent Senate committee approval of a bill to delay a tax increase on cannabis products and revise hemp regulations. Despite repeated House passage of the MORE Act, it has historically stalled in the Senate, reflecting ongoing partisan divisions on federal cannabis policy.