Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced a bill Wednesday that would end the federal prohibition on marijuana, an issue that has boosted his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Sanders’s bill calls for marijuana to be removed from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s schedule of controlled substances. Marijuana is currently classified by the federal government as a Schedule I controlled substance, the same category as heroin and LSD.
According to pro-legalization groups, Sanders’ bill is the first ending federal marijuana prohibition to be introduced in the Senate. Sanders is the only presidential candidate so far this cycle to call for marijuana to be removed from the DEA’s controlled substances schedule.