Legislation to legalize marijuana to be proposed in US on Monday

It is rare in America that both parties can come together on an issue.

However, marijuana could prove to be a source of unity, as reports suggest the Republican Party is putting forward a bill aimed at legalizing and taxing the drug in the USA.

The bill, which many in America believe is long overdue, is being led by Republican Nancy Mace.

Mace said on Twitter that she has been “working on this bill a long time”.

“Tried to be thoughtful about the diversity of #cannabis reforms across the US. There’s something for everyone on both sides of the aisle in this thing,” the US representative for South Carolina added.

Marijuana would be federally rescheduled from the list of controlled substances according to the draft legislation, which would also impose a 3.75% excise tax on sales. The draft would mean marijuana is considered alongside alcohol, therefore the Treasury Department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) would likely be responsible for regulating the market.

Additional features of the bill include a restriction on advertising, while only those aged 21 or above will be allowed to consume cannabis recreationally. Also, those convicted with non-violent criminal records for cannabis-related charges will be eligible to have them erased, an issue which has been pushed forward previously by democrats.

Comedians Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman, perhaps for selfish reasons, were the face of a campaign calling for Congress to legalise cannabis.

The campaign, known as ‘Cannabis in Common, calls on US citizens to lobby their representatives on the issue.

To their credit, it appears to have worked.