'H.R. 420' is a proposed bill that would regulate marijuana like alcohol

A bill introduced in Congress this week that seeks to regulate marijuana like alcohol has been numbered "H.R. 420," a name the bill's sponsor has called a "tongue-in-cheek" reference to cannabis.

A press release from U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer — a Democrat from Oregon who is the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus — says that "while the bill number may be a bit tongue in cheek, the issue is very serious," according to Forbes.

"Our federal marijuana laws are outdated, out of touch and have negatively impacted countless lives," Blumenauer is quoted as saying by the publication. "Congress cannot continue to be out of touch with a movement that a growing majority of Americans support. It's time to end this senseless prohibition."

Blumenauer's proposed bill would remove marijuana from the federal controlled substances list. The "Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act" would establish regulation for cannabis that would be overseen by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Jan. 10: Cannabis food, drinks to be 2019's hottest dining trend, top chefs say

Dec. 17: NY Gov targets legalizing Marijuana in 2019 agenda

The term "420" has become a global code for marijuana that dates back to the 1970s but gained popularity in the 1990s.

The fact-checking website Snopes has documented numerous previous examples of cannabis-related legislation to have been numbered "420," many of which were introduced at the state level.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'H.R. 420' is a proposed bill that would regulate marijuana like alcohol