By Ramone Tarnaski

The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is poised to vote on a bill that would decriminalize cannabis nationwide and ban marijuana records, and a bipartisan majority supports its passage. Moderate Democrats have successfully persuaded party members not to vote for them until the 2020 election, but they fear the law could hurt their chances in that election. How would this affect the perception of US voters, and how would it affect the outcome of the 2018 election?

Republican lawmakers have attacked the proposed bill, with one Republican representative calling it "the worst bill in the history of the United States House of Representatives." Moderate Democratic and Republican lawmakers may be wrong, according to a new poll: A majority of Republican and Democratic voters support passage of the law MORE. Congress has yet to pass a new stimulus package, and enforcement of cannabis laws could alienate some voters.

Only independent voters are in favor of passing the law, though this could be due to a lack of knowledge: 29% of independent voters say they don't know what the MORE bill is about, according to the poll.

Data from the Progress for Justice Collaborative Institute conducted the poll, which surveyed 1,212 likely national voters. The figures show that 59% of voters, including 53% of Republicans, support passage of the MORE bill.

The bipartisan majority also advocates treating drug use as a public health issue rather than a criminal issue and believes the federal government should legalize the possession and sale of marijuana. The decision to postpone a vote on the law calls into question the priorities of racial justice for Democrats and also shows that the majority of the American people are willing to undertake reform, "the Justice Collaborative said in a statement.

The party has established itself as the home of cannabis - concentrated voters and the passage of a law to decriminalize marijuana use could pose an electoral risk in November.

President Donald Trump has advised Republicans to keep marijuana reform off the ballot if they want to win this year's election. Presidential candidate Joe Biden has pushed Democrats away from legalization as an official party platform, preferring instead decriminalization and debt restructuring. Vice President Kamala Harris recently promised that her government would not take any steps against cannabis, then promised a half-step.