Federal cannabis reform has been hanging in the balance over the last two years. An effort to move the plant from Schedule I to Schedule III was paused indefinitely as administrations changed. Legislation meant to ease banking restrictions for legal operators was left on the table. On the campaign trail, President Trump indicated support for change—and now, new Congressional cannabis bills are taking a new approach to pot policy.
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Earlier this month, the STATES 2.0 Act was reintroduced in the House of Representatives. The bill would leave cannabis reform up to individual states, effectively ending federal prohibition for those that legalize medical and/or adult-use pot. It would remove many of the barriers to success for state-compliant operators but would not actually fully legalize weed nationwide. President Trump had previously advocated for this type of legislation.
Republican Representative Dave Joyce of Ohio co-sponsored the bill. He’s also the co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. As it turns out, the STATES 2.0 Act wasn’t his only push for pot reform that day.
Rep. Joyce, along with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, reintroduced the Preparing Regulators Effectively for a Post-Prohibition Adult-Use Regulated Environment (PREPARE) Act. The bill creates a path for government officials to develop cannabis policy when the plant is “inevitably” legalized on the federal level.
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The PREPARE Act recommends that marijuana be regulated like alcohol, and calls for the establishment of a “Commission on the Federal Regulation of Cannabis.” This commission would analyze the current laws around alcohol in order to apply them to cannabis. It would also study the impact of prohibition, particularly among minorities and other groups unfairly targeted during criminalization.
“Currently, nearly all 50 states have legalized or enacted cannabis to some degree, bringing us closer to the inevitable end to federal cannabis prohibition,” said Congressman Joyce in a press release. “With this legislation, Congress would be equipped to develop a much-needed federal regulatory framework that not only respects the unique needs, rights, and laws of each state but also ensures a responsible end to prohibition and a safer future for our communities.”
Both bills previously stalled in the House, but with bipartisan support for cannabis reform at an all-time high, 2025 could be the year the legislation finally passes. Meanwhile, trade groups representing the alcohol industry are also pushing for pot to be regulated like beer and wine. The unified calls could inspire the federal government to finally push forward.
