He now claims that Rep. Dean Phillips, D-MN, a Democratic presidential candidate for 2024, did not “literally” intend it when said earlier this month that President Joe Biden ought to smoke marijuana.
The congressman reversed his tongue-in cheek comments at a New Hampshire political event where he questioned whether or not the president had “even smelled” weed.
Truth be told, I would not recommend that he begin now.
It’s absurd, however, that in America a plant which is naturally occurring and on which no one has ever overdosed continues to be a Schedule I drug.
It should be immediately legalized and handed over to the states for regulation. https://t.co/liVIzomyva
Dean Phillips (@deanbphillips). 29 November 2023
He said that consuming some cannabis could help Biden to understand how “awfully hypocritical it is” to bar people from White House jobs for eating a marijuana gum when they can, in theory “drink half a gallon of Jack Daniels in the evening and report to work the next morning” without penalty.
Phillips, who has now changed his mind about recommending that Biden use cannabis, said that it is “absolutely absurd” that a plant that grows naturally and on which no one has ever overdosed in America remains a Schedule I drug.
He said that it should be immediately legalized and handed over to the states for regulation.
The Politico article about Phillips’s election campaign, which included his previous cannabis comment as the headline and the first paragraph of the story, was then pictured on the satirical X page “New York Times Pitchbot.”
Separately, the congressman told Politico his suggestion to the president to start smoking up was not meant to be “literally” taken.
Phillips who declared his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president late last month has a long record of supporting drug policy reforms in Congress. He has supported federal marijuana legalization and pushed for the Biden administration’s relief of those who have been criminalized because they used cannabis. He also advocates research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics.
“Cannabis remains a Schedule I narcotic, just like heroin, in the United States of America. Phillips stated this month that it was absurd. “But it’s your federal government with people who think this is fine.”
The congressman’s comments on drug policy issues are in line with his voting record. This shows a consistent support for reforms across the board, including incremental measures to reduce federal cannabis prohibition and more comprehensive proposals that promote social equity.
Biden has said that despite his belief that the president is doing a good job, his poll numbers are deteriorating. He hopes to provide an alternative path for Democrats.
Biden, who has been steadfast in his opposition to legalizing adult-use cannabis – a position the White House has confirmed has not changed since Ohio passed the reform – did pardon a large number of people last year for federal cannabis possession offences. He also directed an administrative review on marijuana scheduling.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) recommendation to move marijuana to Schedule III of the CSA was based on this directive. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which is preparing to make a scheduling decision, is reviewing the findings of the health agency.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-OR, a founding member and retiring member of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, told Marijuana Moment recently that if he was Biden, he’d act more aggressively to end marijuana criminalization before next year’s elections, partly to “atone” his record of championing punitive drugs policies during his tenure in the Senate.
Phillips’s position is in line with that of the public at large. A recent Gallup survey showed support for legalizing marijuana at a high of 70 percent. This includes 87 per cent of Democrats.
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