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How Far Cannabis Legalization Has Come This Decade | Opinions | NowThis
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In US news and current events today, NowThis News is discussing the decade in weed and how far the legalization movement has come over the last ten years. Medical marijuana is legal in some form in 34 states. The Green Rush for legal weed is already in full swing, and marijuana legalization is poised to go even farther in the next decade.
#Weed #Cannabis #Legalization #News #NowThis #NowThisNews
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2020 Democrat Vows to Legalize Weed and More | NowThis
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In US news, Kirsten Gillibrand has set herself apart from the rest of the 2020 democratic candidates by proposing nationwide weed legalization law. Recreational marijuana is currently legal in a few states, but Gillbrand, one of the many 2020 democratic presidential candidates, would make federal cannabis legalization a priority. But the 2020 Democrat’s plan wouldn’t just be limited to marijuana legalization. Gillibrand would fight to right the wrongs of the war on drugs as part of her legal marijuana plan. The 2020 Democratic primary for the White House is heating up and we still have over a year to go. If Gillibrand gets elected it might be time to buy more pot stocks.
#Gillibrand #Weed #Cannabis #Marijuana
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Where Every 2020 Candidate Stands on Weed | NowThis
Written by thcscout on . Posted in Legalization. No Comments on Where Every 2020 Candidate Stands on Weed | NowThis
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1. Joe Biden – Against
The former Vice President’s voting record on weed is poor Biden helped shape anti-drug policy as a Senator in the ‘80s and ‘90s and defended civil asset forfeiture. He recently said he regretted supporting those stances, but as Vice President in 2010, he called weed ‘a gateway drug.’
2. Cory Booker – For
The New Jersey Senator has prioritized cannabis legalization in his campaign In 2015, he introduced the CARERS Act to reschedule cannabis and has consistently condemned the drug war. Booker introduced the Marijuana Justice Act on Feb 28, 2019, which seeks to reverse damages of the war on drugs by expunging cannabis records and giving job priority to people who were directly affected.
3. Pete Buttigieg – For
The 2-term mayor of South Bend, IN is an advocate for social justice In Feb 2019, he told the Boston Globe ‘The safe, regulated, and legal sale of marijuana is an idea whose time has come for the United States, as evidenced by voters demanding legalization in states across the country.’
4. Julián Castro – For
As former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under Barack Obama, he published a memo requiring owners of federal housing facilities to deny entry to people who use cannabis, even state-legal patients. In 2017, in response to a possible crackdown by the Trump administration, Castro tweeted ‘A mistake. Colorado and other states have shown we can sensibly legalize marijuana with reasonable controls.’ Castro does not have a voting record on cannabis.
6. Tulsi Gabbard – For
The Congresswoman from Hawaii spoke about cannabis in her campaign launch speech, criticizing a criminal justice system that ‘…puts people in prison for smoking marijuana while allowing corporations like Purdue Pharma, who are responsible for the opioid-related deaths of thousands of people, to walk away scot-free with their coffers full.’
7. Kirsten Gillibrand – For
The New York Senator and former Congresswoman cosponsored Booker’s Marijuana Justice Act and has a lengthy history of supporting pro-cannabis legislation.
8. Kamala Harris – For
The California Senator is a cosponsor of the Marijuana Justice Act and SAFE Banking Act, which would allow federal banking institutions to deal with money from cannabis businesses Harris has said addiction should be treated as a public health crisis instead of a criminal justice issue She’s made cannabis legalization and social justice staples of her campaign.
9. John Hickenlooper – For
The former Governor of Colorado signed the proposition to legalize cannabis statewide in 2012 At the time, he wasn’t entirely pro-legalization, and he warned other governors to approach cannabis reform with caution Hickenlooper has since advocated for states’ rights regarding cannabis legalization.
10. Jay Inslee – For
The Washington Gov. was in office when the state legalized cannabis in 2012 After announcing his 2020 bid, he said, ‘…and it’s about time we do it nationwide’ Inslee launched a ‘Marijuana Justice Initiative’ in 2019 to pardon non-violent cannabis offenders in Washington.
11. Amy Klobuchar – For
The Minnesota Senator cosponsored the STATES Act, which would allow states to craft their own cannabis laws, as well as 3 other pieces of progressive cannabis legislation.
14. Beto O’Rourke – For
The former Texas Congressman has advocated for cannabis reform. ‘It’s time to end the war on drugs. That starts by ending the federal prohibition on marijuana’ Tweet (sep 21, 2018) He strongly supports veterans’ access to medical cannabis and is a vocal proponent of social justice in weed legalization legislation.
16. Bernie Sanders – For
The Vermont Senator is all in on cannabis law reform As a member of Congress, he cosponsored a bill to legalize medical weed more than 20 years ago.
#Weed #Cannabis #Democrats #2020
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New York Senator Diane Savino On Cannabis Legalization | Op-Ed | NowThis
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New York State Senator Diane Savino: ”In 2014, New York became the 23rd state to legalize medical cannabis.
Millions of Americans now live in a state where cannabis use is legal for adults 21 and over, and millions more live in a state where medical use is legal.
In a society where a growing majority of its citizens support cannabis legalization, our federal policies remain outdated and untouched.
Under federal law, cannabis is treated as a schedule 1 drug, such as heroin or LSD.
This level of cognitive dissonance between Congress and the states is astounding.
In the eyes of the federal government, cannabis is seen as highly addictive and as having no medical benefits.
But through the eyes of the public, it is viewed much more favorably.
As we enter the midterm elections, Democrats in swing districts should be looking to cannabis policy reform to bolster their support.
Public support for adult-use cannabis has risen exponentially over the last few years, and recent polling suggests that support for the issue can actually be especially helpful in Congressional swing districts.
There’s not much difference between the percentage of Democrats and Republicans who support adult use. It’s an issue that, across the board, people can get behind.
And unlike in the past when some Democrats would hide their viewpoints on both medical and adult legalization for fear of turning off voters, the opposite is now true.
In New York, I’ve worked with my colleagues in government who had previously opposed legalization, but have since witnessed the benefits in other states and the shift in public perception.
In just the last few years, its popularity has grown among my colleagues.
Polling also shows it makes people more likely to vote for candidates who support adult-use cannabis, and what’s even more important is that the percentage that would be less likely to vote for a candidate who supports adult-use cannabis is considerably low, especially among independents.
This year alone, we have seen candidates across New York and the nation running unabashedly on marijuana legalization. It’s not only smart politics, it’s smart policy.
Areas that have been struck by the opioid crisis should especially take note.
The area that I represent in Staten Island, has been hit particularly hard by this epidemic, and marijuana could be the solution for many struggling with addiction.
Current treatments for opioid addiction, such as suboxone and methadone, are as addictive as the opioids that patients came into treatments for. Marijuana is not.
The benefits of medical cannabis can be truly life changing and polling data has shown that it has shifted the public perception of this policy. It’s a low risk, high reward stance to take.
So as Democrats we shouldn’t be afraid to advocate for adult-use cannabis, we should be encouraging each other to do so.
During the next legislative session in New York, we will present a comprehensive marijuana legalization package, and I expect a successful passage, which will make New York the 10th state in the nation to legalize marijuana. That number will only continue to grow.’
#Cannabis #Weed #Legalization #NewYork #Politics
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What Big Tobacco’s $1.8 Billion Weed Investment Means For Legalization | NowThis
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In American capitalism, when there’s a market that can be made money in, big corporations are going to capitalize on that and come into play.
On Dec 7, 2018, Altria Group, the company that owns Marlboro, bought a 45% stake in Canadian cannabis company Cronos Group for approx $1.8 billion NowThis talked to Erik Altieri, the executive director of NORML, to get his take on what this might mean for cannabis in the U.S.
“It is encouraging to see a huge corporation like Altria jump in in such a serious way, if only from the standpoint that it means, being a big risk averse corporation, they clearly see the writing is on the wall on this. They wouldn’t be making this substantial investment otherwise, if they thought that there was still a chance that marijuana was gonna be—remain a Schedule 1 illegal drug in the United States for the next 10 years. It means that the progress that we see is only going to continue and that federal action is imminent on this topic of particularly scheduling.”
And most Americans see legalization as a good thing, a move like this could have big impact on how it’s done
“As you’re seeing now with the debate in places like New Jersey and other states that are moving forward, we need to keep the focus on small business, micro-licensing, social justice, and especially home cultivation. Consumers need to have the right to cultivate some plants at home as a check on the industry, to make sure that they keep delivering quality product and that tax rates and prices are fair.”
So if this move means legalization is coming, what should it look like?
“What we’d want to see is something more akin to a wine model or a microbrew model, and less of a cigarette model when it comes to legal marijuana in the United States. Something that prioritizes quality and small-scale operations over large, hundreds-of-acre cultivators and box store brand dispensaries.”
Big tobacco isn’t known for their small-scale operations. So there’s a chance these companies come in and try to change regulation
“They’re coming a bit late to the party here. We have a good number of states with operating legal markets here already. Those regulations are in place. I don’t think most state lawmakers want to see those regulations and oversight controls go away. So they may come in and start spending big money on lobbyists to try to fight against those things, but that’s where the — the responsibility is on us as advocates to fight back and to make sure that what we have now not only stays in place, but we push for even stronger controls — particularly when it comes to big corporations. Because we know they don’t have scruples about doing anything that it takes to make an extra cent per sale.”
At the end of the day, this investment could be very good for cannabis, but Altieri says it’s going to be up to consumers to hold these companies accountable and make sure legalization happens with good structure and scale.
“For the first time in potentially ever—at least in a very long time in the modern history of this country, we pretty much have the ability to build an entire industry from scratch and kind of dictate what it looks like, make sure that it’s an ethical industry, that it’s one that prioritizes diversity, both racial and gender diversity, as well as diversity of business operations, from small-scale to larger scale.”
#Tobacco #Weed #Cannabis #Legalization #Business
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NowThis is your premier news outlet providing you with all the videos you need to stay up to date on all the latest in trending news. From entertainment to politics, to viral videos and breaking news stories, we’re delivering all you need to know straight to your social feeds. We live where you live.
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