The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Friday to decriminalize marijuana, yet Senate passage is unlikely.

The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, or the MORE Act, would remove marijuana from the list of scheduled substances in the Controlled Substances Act. Cannabis is currently a Schedule I drug, on the same level as heroin, and deemed to have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. It is the second push for such legislation.

The bill also would prevent anyone who possesses, distributes or manufactures marijuana from facing criminal penalties. Thirty-seven states have already adopted laws legalizing cannabis for medical use, while 15 allow it for recreational use, according to the bill.

The MORE Act passed in the House largely along party lines in a 220-204 vote, with all but two Democrats voting for it. It received the support of three Republicans: Rep. Matt Gaetz and Rep. Brian Mast of Florida, and Rep. Tom McClintock of California.

The bill is now headed to the Senate, where its path will likely be more difficult. The legislation will require 60 votes to pass, and the Senate is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans.

The move to decriminalize cannabis has faced opposition from some Republicans and some moderate Democrats.

While more than two in three Americans support legalizing marijuana, according to a 2021 Gallup poll, there are significant differences in views based on political affiliation. The poll found that 81% of Republicans described the problem of drugs in the U.S. as extremely or very serious, compared with 54% of Democrats.

Steven Hawkins of the U.S. Cannabis Council, an organization advocating for the legalization of marijuana, said he thinks the bill is unlikely to pass in the Senate.

"At the moment we're certainly supportive of these broader efforts, but I'm not sure the votes are there," said Mr. Hawkins, president and CEO of USCC.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said in a statement Friday he hopes to introduce legislation to the floor soon.

"Of course, we will need Republicans to pass a legalization bill in the Senate, and we will be working hard to try and get them," Mr. Schumer said.

This isn't the first time the House has passed legislation to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. In December 2020, the chamber voted 228-164 to pass the MORE Act of 2020. But that bill didn't make it far among senators before they adjourned the following month.

Toi Hutchinson of the Marijuana Policy Project, a national organization advocating for the legalization of marijuana, said the House repeatedly passing the bill shows the movement is gaining momentum.

"While this is historic in nature and warrants praise, it is necessary to also recognize that the fight is still far from over," Ms. Hutchinson said.