Minutes after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and colleagues unveiled a much-anticipated draft marijuana legalization bill on Wednesday, the White House press secretary reiterated that President Joe Biden remains opposed to the reform. However, she notably said the president would be “encouraged” by efforts to advance more incremental reform such as decriminalizing possession, as he pledged to do on the campaign trail. Nothing has changed, and there are no new endorsements of legislation to report today,” Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing after being asked about the new draft legalization bill. Advocates have been waiting eagerly for the release of the cannabis legalization bill that Schumer, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) have been working on for months. That finally happened on Wednesday, but the press secretary’s comments signal that even if the measure advances through Congress, it may face opposition from the president.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 07/14/2021 14:10:00