Adding to the chorus of lawmakers pressuring President Joe Biden on cannabis legalization, on Monday Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) urged the President via Twitter to take unilateral action on cannabis policy. “Biden needs to lean on his executive authority now. He has been delaying and underutilizing it so far,” AOC tweeted “There is an enormous amount he can do on climate, student debt, immigration, cannabis, health care, and more. Time is running out—we need to move and use alternative paths.” The congresswoman was among the first to suggest that Biden use executive authority to advance marijuana reform. Prior to Ocasio-Cortez’s plea, not her first, Republican lawmakers Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Don Young (R-AK), both co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, sent a letter to President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris recently urging the administration to reschedule cannabis under federal law. “As both legislative chambers continue to debate the merits of various common-sense proposals on the issue of cannabis reform and a complete end to federal prohibition garners more and more bipartisan support, your administration’s absence from these debates and lack of action, which is inconsistent with previous statements you have made on the topic, is of serious concern,” the lawmakers wrote. In addition, they noted that further, cannabis’ Schedule I classification “puts the U.S. far behind many of our international partners and scientific competitors.”
Benzinga Staff Writer, The Fresh Toast, 12/21/2021 10:00:00