A Republican senator from a state where marijuana is legal is pushing this week to give cannabis businesses a measure of tax fairness.

Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado wants to attach an amendment to a wide-ranging Republican-led tax reform bill that would allow state-legal marijuana growers, processors and sellers to deduct normal businesses expenses from their taxes, just like operators in other industries can.

Under current federal law, a 1980s provision — known as 280E — effectively forces cannabis businesses to pay a much higher tax rate than other companies.

The statute was originally intended to stop drug cartel leaders from writing off yachts and expensive cars, but today its language means that that growers, processors and sellers of marijuana — which is still a Schedule I substance under federal law — can’t take business expense deductions that are available to operators in other sectors.

As a result, cannabis businesses often pay an effective tax rate upwards of 65-75 percent, compared with a normal rate of around 15-30 percent.

Gardner’s press secretary said in an email that “he plans to file an amendment” to the broader tax legislation this week to include a 280E fix so that the provision no longer applies to marijuana businesses that operate in accordance with state or local laws.

The senator also cosponsored a standalone bill to reform the provision this month. [Read more at Forbes]