The grass IS greener! White House says Joe Biden supports decriminalizing recreational use of marijuana on the day Americans mark 4/20, the unofficial holiday celebrating all things cannabis
Joe Biden supports decriminalizing the recreational use of marijuana, his press secretary said Tuesday, on the day Americans marked 4/20, the unofficial holiday celebrating all things cannabis.
Jen Psaki told reporters: 'At the federal level he supports decriminalizing marijuana use and automatically expunging any prior criminal record. He also supports legalizing medicinal marijuana.'
People across the United States marked the 50th anniversary of 4/20 Tuesday, the now-infamous weed-themed 'holiday'. In New York City marijuana activists handed out free joints to vaccinated residents.
This year's celebration comes on the back of an increasing number of states legalizing the drug for adult recreational use; 15 states and the District of Columbia have so far done so, 36 states permit medical use.
Cannabis remains illegal at the federal level. Psaki added: 'The president supports leaving decisions regarding legalization for recreational use up to the states, rescheduling cannabis as a schedule two drug so researchers can study it's positive and negative impacts.'
In March it was revealed that the White House had firing five pot-smoking staffers. Psaki was then asked how aides could get axed after Vice President Kamala Harris has admitted to smoking pot and even praised it saying, 'It gives people joy and we need more joy in this world.'
Psaki stuck to her position that the White House allowed more people to serve than previous administrations would have, with a revised pot policy, adding that for a number of those let go 'there were other security issues that were raised.'
The Biden administration has also said to will consider forcing cigarette makers to reduce the nicotine in their cigarettes to levels that aren't addicting.
People across the United States marked the 50th anniversary of 4/20 Tuesday. In New York City marijuana activists handed out free joints to vaccinated residents
Joe Biden supports decriminalizing the recreational use of marijuana, his press secretary said Tuesday. Jen Psaki told reporters: 'At the federal level he supports decriminalizing marijuana use and automatically expunging any prior criminal record. He also supports legalizing medicinal marijuana'
This year's celebration comes on the back of an increasing number of states legalizing the drug for adult recreational use; 15 states and the District of Columbia have so far done so, 36 states permit medical use
Cannabis remains illegal at the federal level. Psaki added: 'The president supports leaving decisions regarding legalization for recreational use up to the states, rescheduling cannabis as a schedule two drug so researchers can study it's positive and negative impacts.' A woman holds up a sign and joints as marijuana activists hand out free joints to vaccinated New Yorkers
Legazlizing: So far, 34 states and Washington D.C. have legalized marijuana in some form, including recreational use and medical use
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had earlier said he 'believes the time has come to end the federal prohibition on marijuana in this country' and said he is working on legislation to 'do just that'.
He told lawmakers Tuesday: 'Hopefully, the next time this unofficial holiday, 4/20, rolls around, our country will have made progress in addressing the massive overcriminalization of marijuana in a meaningful and comprehensive way.
Schumer said the war on drugs has 'too often been a war on people, particularly people of color.'
Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer tweeted: 'As people around the state celebrate 4/20 today, I want to be blunt in recognizing that the purchase of legal marijuana products through state-licensed facilities not only means a more safe product, but it also means more tax dollars for schools, roads, and communities.'
Those comments came on the day Alabama's largest city said it will issue blanket pardons for more than 15,000 people with misdemeanor marijuana convictions dating back to 1990.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin made the announcement Tuesday. It came as the Alabama Democratic Party said it would support the legalization of marijuana for recreational and medical use in the state.
New York last month joined a growing number of states that have legalized marijuana after state lawmakers reached a deal to allow sales of the drug for recreational use.
Proponents have said the move could create thousands of jobs and begin to address the racial injustice of a decades-long drug war that disproportionately targeted minority and poor communities.
New York would set a 9% sales tax on cannabis, plus an additional 4% tax split between the county and local government.
It would also impose an additional tax based on the level of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, ranging from 0.5 cents per milligram for flower to 3 cents per milligram for edibles.
New York would eliminate penalties for possession of less than three ounces of cannabis, and automatically expunge records of people with past convictions for marijuana-related offenses that would no longer be criminalized. That's a step beyond a 2019 law that expunged many past convictions for marijuana possession and reduced the penalty for possessing small amounts.
Several other states that have legalized recreational marijuana have struggled to address the inequities that the drug wars have wrought.
Virginia became the first Southern state to legalize marijuana earlier this month.
Lawmakers voted to approve Gov. Ralph Northam's proposed changes to a bill that will allow adults to possess and cultivate small amounts of the drug starting in July.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had earlier said he 'believes the time has come to end the federal prohibition on marijuana in this country' and said he is working on legislation to 'do just that'. NYC is pictured Tuesday
A man smokes a joint as marijuana activists hand out free joints to vaccinated New Yorkers on Tuesday. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation legalizing recreational marijuana on March 31, 2021, with a large chunk of tax revenues from sales set to go to minority communities
Members of the Global Marijuana March distribute joints in exchange for proof of vaccination against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Union Square, New York City
New York would set a 9% sales tax on cannabis, plus an additional 4% tax split between the county and local government. It would also impose an additional tax based on the level of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, ranging from 0.5 cents per milligram for flower to 3 cents per milligram for edibles
And in New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed last week signed legislation legalizing recreational marijuana use within months and kicking off sales next year, making it the seventh state since November to put an end to pot prohibition.
The governor, a Democrat, has supported marijuana reform as a way to create jobs and shore up state revenue.
She also touched on concerns about the harm inflicted on racial and ethnic minorities by drug criminalization and tough policing, noting that the new law could free about 100 from prison and expunge criminal records for thousands of residents.
'It is good for workers. It is good for entrepreneurs. It is good for consumers,' she said of legalization. 'And it brings about social justice in ways in which we have been talking about and advocating for, for decades.'
California voters legalized recreational marijuana sales in 2016 as well and invited people to petition to have old marijuana convictions expunged or reduced. But relatively few people took advantage of the provision initially.
James Miller poses for a portrait at a 'Joints for Jabs' event in NYC; Several states that have legalized recreational marijuana have struggled to address the inequities that the drug wars have wrought
Bridgette King poses for a portrait at a 'Joints for Jabs' event; Adults' use of recreational marijuana is now legal in New York
Michael Keren smokes a marijuana cigarette. Marijuana smoking isn't without risks: According to the American Lung Association, marijuana smoke is harmful to lung health - with the burning of pot shown to contain many of the same 'toxins' as cigarettes
Adults who showed their COVID-19 vaccination cards received a free joint. Adults' use of recreational marijuana is now legal in the state
People line up at a 'Joints for Jabs' event, Tuesday. The Biden administration will consider forcing cigarette makers to reduce the nicotine in their cigarettes to levels that aren't addicting - at the same time more than half of U.S. states have legalized marijuana in some form
It comes as a half century of Gallup polls show the percentage of Americans who smoke cigarettes has plummeted - 45 percent in 1954 to 15 percent in 2019.
But public opinion is shifting sharply in favor of marijuana: More than 90 percent of Americans in a recent survey responded that pot should be legal in some form - and more than two thirds support legalization for recreational and medicinal purposes.
The Pew survey, which was completed the first two weeks of April, said only 8 percent wanted to outlaw marijuana altogether.
Marijuana smoking isn't without risks: According to the American Lung Association, marijuana smoke is harmful to lung health - with the burning of pot shown to contain many of the same 'toxins' as cigarettes.
'Marijuana smokers tend to inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than cigarette smokers, which leads to a greater exposure per breath to tar,' the Lung Association says.
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