I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6043 
To amend the Controlled Substances Act to provide for a new rule regarding 
the application of the Act to marihuana, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 7, 2018 
Mr. JOYCE of Ohio (for himself, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. CURBELO of Florida, 
Mr. POLIS, Mr. BUCK, Ms. LEE, Mr. JONES, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. BLUM, 
Mr. COHEN, Mr. GAETZ, Ms. NORTON, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mr. CORREA, 
Mr. LEWIS of Minnesota, and Mr. KHANNA) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition 
to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Controlled Substances Act to provide for a 
new rule regarding the application of the Act to mari-
huana, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strengthening the 
Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act’’ or 
the ‘‘STATES Act’’. 
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‘‘(c) The provisions described in this subsection are— 
‘‘(1) section 401(a)(1), with respect to a viola-
tion of section 409 or 418; 
‘‘(2) section 409; 
‘‘(3) section 417; and 
‘‘(4) section 418. 
‘‘(d) Subsection (a) shall not apply to any person 
who— 
‘‘(1) violates the Controlled Substances Act 
with respect to any other controlled substance; 
‘‘(2) notwithstanding compliance with State or 
tribal law, knowingly or intentionally manufactures, 
produces, possesses, distributes, dispenses, admin-
isters, or delivers any other marihuana in violation 
of the laws of the State or tribe in which such man-
ufacture, production, possession, distribution, dis-
pensation, administration, or delivery occurs; or 
‘‘(3) employs or hires any person under 18 
years of age to manufacture, produce, distribute, 
dispense, administer, or deliver marihuana.’’. 
(b) DEFINITION OF MARIHUANA.—Section 102(16) 
of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802(16)) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘or the sterilized’’ and inserting 
‘‘the sterilized’’; and 
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(2) by striking the period at the end and insert-
ing ‘‘, or industrial hemp (as defined in section 
7606(b) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 
5940(b))).’’. 
SEC. 3. TRANSPORTATION SAFETY OFFENSES. 
Section 409 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 
U.S.C. 849) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘A person’’ and inserting 
‘‘Except as provided in subsection (d), a per-
son’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘subsection (b)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘subsection (c)’’; 
(2) in subsection (c), in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘A person’’ and inserting 
‘‘Except as provided in subsection (d), a per-
son’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘subsection (a)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘subsection (b)’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) EXCEPTION.—Subsections (b) and (c) shall not 
apply to any person who possesses, or possesses with in-
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tent to distribute marihuana in compliance with section 
710.’’. 
SEC. 4. DISTRIBUTION TO PERSONS UNDER AGE 21. 
Section 418 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 
U.S.C. 859) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), in the first sentence, by 
inserting ‘‘and subsection (c) of this section’’ after 
‘‘section 419’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), in the first sentence, by 
inserting ‘‘and subsection (c) of this section’’ after 
‘‘section 419’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) Subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to any 
person at least 18 years of age who distributes medicinal 
marihuana to a person under 21 years of age in compli-
ance with section 710.’’. 
SEC. 5. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Conduct in compliance with this 
Act and the amendments made by this Act— 
(1) shall not be unlawful; 
(2) shall not constitute trafficking in a con-
trolled substance under section 401 of the Controlled 
Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 841) or any other provi-
sion of law; and 
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(3) shall not constitute the basis for forfeiture 
of property under section 511 of the Controlled Sub-
stances Act (21 U.S.C. 881) or section 981 of title 
18, United States Code. 
(b) PROCEEDS.—The proceeds from any transaction 
in compliance with this Act and the amendments made 
by this Act shall not be deemed to be the proceeds of an 
unlawful transaction under section 1956 or 1957 of title 
18, United States Code, or any other provision of law. 
Æ 
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