Pro-Cannabis Senators’ Seats At Stake In Upcoming Election Could Affect Future Of Cannabis Legalization
Cannabis legalization continues to gain momentum across the U.S., with states like Minnesota, Delaware and Ohio embracing recreational in 2023 and 2024, while Florida prepares to vote on a similar measure in November.
Despite widespread public support and state-level reforms, the Senate remains a major roadblock for federal cannabis legalization.
As 34 Senate seats are up for grabs in the 2024 election, the outcome could significantly affect cannabis reform in the U.S. Senate.
The Senate: A Major Roadblock For Cannabis Legalization
The Senate has long posed a challenge to cannabis reform efforts, despite growing public support. For example, the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act, which aimed to decriminalize cannabis at the federal level and expunge certain cannabis-related convictions, passed the House in both 2020 and 2022 but stalled in the Senate. The bill faced opposition largely due to the Senate’s filibuster rule, which requires 60 votes to advance most legislation.
Other cannabis-related bills, such as the SAFE Banking Act—which would allow cannabis businesses access to banking services—have also struggled to make it through the Senate despite bipartisan support.