The PREPARE Act of 2025 would create a Commission on the Federal Regulation of Cannabis. The Attorney General must set up the Commission within 30 days. The Commission would study a prompt, plausible pathway to federal cannabis regulation and model a regulatory framework after alcohol rules. It must solicit public comment within 60 days, hold a public witness hearing within 180 days, publish initial findings and recommendations within 120 days, and publish final recommendations within one year.
The Commission is charged with proposing measures to address harms and barriers caused by federal cannabis prohibition. Areas named in the bill include: impacts of criminalization on minority, low-income, and veteran communities; access to financial services for cannabis businesses; barriers to medical and other cannabis research; access to medical cannabis and medical training; consistent product safety, labeling, and youth protections; federal revenue reporting; guidance for crop production and intrastate, interstate, and international trade; and coexistence of hemp and cannabis industries. The Commission would not have rulemaking authority. The Attorney General provides staff and administrative support. Members would not receive extra pay for serving on the Commission.
If this bill becomes law, it would create a federal study group that gathers public input, holds hearings, and issues reports with recommendations for how to regulate cannabis at the federal level. The bill itself does not directly change criminal penalties or create new regulations. The Commission’s reports could inform future legislation or agency action.
No publicly available information.
The bill’s findings state that federal cannabis prohibition is outdated, has contributed to discriminatory outcomes, and limits medical and safety research. It notes that many States have legalized medical or adult use and says the Federal Government should prepare for an end to prohibition by developing a regulatory framework modeled after alcohol to address criminalization impacts, research barriers, financial access, product safety, youth protections, and trade.
No publicly available information.