Bill by Oregon congressman would regulate weed like alcohol

PORTLAND, Ore. – A bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat from Oregon, seeks to regulate marijuana like alcohol.

The bill introduced Wednesday would take marijuana off the federal controlled substances list and establish a nationally regulated industry overseen by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Blumenauer has long advocated legalizing marijuana at the federal level.

He authored a blueprint last year for his like-minded congress members on how to achieve that goal now that the House of Representatives has a Democratic majority.

The bill number for the so-called Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act is H.R. 420.

That’s a tongue-in-cheek reference to 420, a slang term frequently used to reference marijuana.

Blumenauer is founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus.