MICHAEL R. BLOOD
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A divided U.S. House committee approved a proposal Wednesday to decriminalize and tax marijuana at the federal level, a vote that was alternately described as a momentous turning point in national cannabis policy or a hollow political gesture.
The House Judiciary Committee approved the proposal 24-10 after more than two hours of debate. It would reverse a longstanding federal prohibition by removing marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, while allowing states to set their own rules on pot.
The vote "marks a turning point for federal cannabis policy and is truly a sign that prohibition's days are numbered," Aaron Smith, executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, said in a statement.
Cannabis Trade Fed
