H.R. 2935

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To establish a Commission on the Federal Regulation of Cannabis to study a prompt and plausible pathway to the Federal regulation of cannabis, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · April 17, 2025 · Sponsor: Mr. Joyce of Ohio

Table of contents

• H.R. 2935
  • SEC. 1. Short title
  • SEC. 2. Findings
  • SEC. 3. Purpose
  • SEC. 4. Commission establishment and membership

SEC. 1. Short title

• This Act may be cited as the or the .

SEC. 2. Findings

• Congress finds the following:
  • Cannabis was federally legal in the United States until 1937.
  • Cannabis was federally prohibited to codify discriminatory practices against minority communities.
  • Medical cannabis prohibition was established despite objection from the American Medical Association.
  • 38 States and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for medical purposes.
  • 21 States and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for adult use.
  • Despite the Federal Government collecting revenue from the sale of cannabis, individuals are still criminally persecuted for its use.
  • Cannabis research, including research on medical uses, product safety, and impairment standards, is severely hindered and made nearly impossible by its schedule 1 classification.
  • Cannabis should remain an adult product aside from the physician prescribed treatment of minors.
  • Cannabis has proven medically beneficial for patients suffering from pain, cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, seizure disorders, and multiple sclerosis, among other diseases.
  • Since 2003, the United States Government by way of the Department of Health and Human Services has held a patent for medical cannabis as an antioxidant and neuroprotectant.
  • While the United States remains trapped in antiquated cannabis regulations, other nations and scientific competitors, including the United Kingdom, Canada, South Korea, Germany, and Israel have modified their laws to allow for varying degrees of cannabis legality and medical research.

SEC. 3. Purpose

• The President and Congress shall prepare the Federal Government for an inevitable and prompt end to Federal marihuana prohibition by establishing a commission to advise on the development of a regulatory framework with respect to marihuana regulation, including accounting for the different characteristics of communities, agencies, and industries impacted by Federal marihuana prohibition. Such regulatory framework shall be modeled after Federal and State regulatory frameworks with respect to alcohol.

SEC. 4. Commission establishment and membership

• (a) Establishment
  • Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall establish a commission to be known as the (in this Act referred to as the ) to study a plausible and prompt pathway to cannabis regulation. ``Commission on the Federal Regulation of Cannabis
• (b) Duties of Commission
  • (1) Proposal of measures
    • The Commission shall propose measures to alleviate and remedy—
      • the impact of cannabis criminalization, particularly on minority, low income, and veteran communities;
      • the lack of access to the financial service sector for cannabis entrepreneurs and their affiliated industries;
      • the lack of access to cannabis related research, including research on medical uses and the effects of impairment;
      • the lack of access to medical cannabis and research, particularly with respect to Federal agencies;
      • the lack of medical cannabis training at publicly funded medical training centers;
      • the lack of consistent regulations for cannabis product and safety, use, and labeling requirements, including requirements to protect youth and reduce harms to youth;
      • the lack of efficient cannabis revenue reporting and collecting, including efficient and tenable Federal revenue frameworks;
      • the lack of guidance for cannabis crop production, sale, intrastate, interstate, and international trade;
      • the lack of guidance regarding the successful coexistence of individual hemp and cannabis industries, including prevention of cross pollination of cannabis and hemp products; and
      • any other barriers to Federal cannabis legalization identified by the Commission.
  • (2) Public comment; public witness; reports
    • (A) Comment period
      • Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall solicit comment with respect to the regulation of cannabis from industry stakeholders, criminal justice reform advocates, substance use advocates, healthcare experts, State cannabis regulators, the Department of Justice of each State or Tribal government, and the public.
    • (B) Public witness hearing
      • (i) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall convene a witness hearings and solicit written or verbal testimony from participants in the cannabis industry. Such hearings shall include—
      • not less than two unique individuals or entities, who are not employed by the Federal Government, and represent a State legal operation that is licensed by a single State to sell, manufacture, produce, possess, distribute, administer, or deliver cannabis;
      • not less than two unique individuals or entities, who are not employed by the Federal Government, and represent a State legal operation with a multi-State presence that is licensed by such States to sell, manufacture, produce, possess, distribute, administer, or deliver cannabis;