Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act
Key claim: The bill would deschedule cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act, establish a federal regulatory framework for commercial sales, and expunge certain federal cannabis offenses.
Abstract
(S4591 · 117th Congress) Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act This bill decriminalizes cannabis and removes it from scheduling under the Controlled Substances Act. It also provides for (1) a federal regulatory framework with respect to the commercial sale of cannabis and other areas, and (2) the expungement of certain federal cannabis offenses. Latest action (2022-07-21): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Why this matters
For people with qualifying federal cannabis records, the proposed expungement could reduce record-related barriers to employment and housing, while descheduling would change federal treatment of cannabis. The bill stalled after committee referral in the 117th Congress, so it provided no enacted relief and should not be treated as clearing state cannabis convictions.