LIFESTYLE CANNABIS
Marijuana Reform May Be Slow Going
Under Biden.
BY JEAN-GABRIEL FERNANDEZ
O
self has a well-documented, self-confessed which does not include any form of legalizan the campaign trail, Joe Biden was history of marijuana use, giving the image tion. This came as Jen Psaki confirmed that the only Democratic candidate of an administration that will apply a difBiden’s opposition to the legalization of who refused to support the federal legalization of marijuana, but he did support ferent set of rules for regular people and for marijuana remains unchanged. elected officials. Transportation Secretary decriminalization. His now-vice president, Despite the promise to make cannabis Pete Buttigieg has also admitted to using Kamala Harris, was a proponent of full marijuana, but he will not see consequenc- reform a priority, especially to facilitate the legalization, and she admitted to using expungement of hundreds of thousands of marijuana in the past. This led to an overall es for it. individual records and release thousands optimistic expectation of how Biden’s White of nonviolent prisoners, Harris stated that House would handle cannabis cases—and “We still have a very uneven response” to marijuana in the White House, said Rep. marijuana has taken a back seat because subsequently to the surprise of several Earl Blumenauer, co-chair of the Congresthere are more pressing priorities. This White House staffers fired for past marijuasional Cannabis Caucus. He added that goes against her personal pledge to pass na use. this is an “antiquated response” and shows cannabis reforms as part of COVID-19 relief efforts when Donald Trump was still in the Despite marijuana use being legal in Wash- that Biden’s White House is “out of touch” regarding marijuana policies. He hopes White House. ington, D.C., marijuana is federally illegal, this will be “a thing of the past very soon.” yet Biden did promise to adopt a more flexible policy. Despite this, five people were Blumenauer led an action to denounce Joe At the time, the Democratic establishment rallied behind the idea that marijuana summarily fired in March 2021 for marijuana Biden’s failure to live up to expectations reform should be part of the government’s use. They were not the only ones: The Daily regarding unfair marijuana policies. COVID response, as legal weed would help Beast, which broke the news, revealed that raise funds through taxation; legal banking “dozens” of staffers and applicants to the for pot businesses would greatly alleviate new Biden administration were punished the need for in-person contact with cusfor disclosing past marijuana consumption tomers; and it would significantly reduce during the interview process—many were “Those in the upper ranks of your adminisinteractions between the police and low-insidelined, suspended or even assigned to tration won’t face consequences for their come public. This stance has seemingly remote locations to be kept away from cannabis use, and nor should they, but the been abandoned entirely. “Honestly, right the president. same standard should be applied across now, we’ve been focused on getting people In response to this news, White House press the administration,” reads the letter, which food, helping them stay in their apartments was signed by 30 congresspeople. “Reper- or in their homes, getting kids back to secretary Jen Psaki announced that the new administration established policies “to cussions for cannabis use have always been school, getting shots into arms,” Harris said. unequal and those with the most power “That has been all-consuming.” ensure that past marijuana use wouldn’t automatically disqualify staff from serving have always faced the fewest consequences. We ask that you don’t allow that pattern One aspect of Biden’s plan is to reschedin the White House,” insisting that “only” ule marijuana, moving it out of Schedule to continue within your administration.” five staffers were indeed fired for past I—which is reserved to highly dangerous substance use. The White House did not drugs like heroin, and where cannabis is deny that measures other than firings were FAILING TO LIVE UP TO CAMPAIGN PROMISES mistakenly classified—and into Schedule employed to punish cannabis consumption Leading up to the inauguration, hopes were II. Cannabis advocates have decried this among employees. high among the cannabis community that decision, as Schedule II drugs are still vionot only would Biden allow marijuana relently repressed and highly illegal. Cocaine, A candidate’s personal drug use history, form simply because it is exceedingly pop- crystal meth and opium are all Schedule II with the exception of past convictions, reular, but also that Harris would influence drugs, meaning that the White House would lies on the candidate’s honesty to proacthe president to adopt a more sensible and treat marijuana as if it were as dangerous tively disclose it. The staffers who were modern view on minor drug offenses. The and addictive as crystal meth. punished for marijuana use had all revealed that information following the White opposite seems to have happened, with Harris instead walking back some of her This scheduling promise comes with anHouse’s promise that it would not be used more progressive statements on marijuana. other caveat: Biden promised that on the against them, which was then betrayed. A According to Bloomberg, Harris’ position campaign trail that “nobody should be central point of contention has been the fact that Vice President Kamala Harris her- on marijuana is now “the same as Biden’s,” in prison for marijuana,” a promise that
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Column image by Getty Images/Galina Shafran. Tape image by Getty Images/martijnmulder. Marijuana image by Getty Images/Azure-Dragon.
5/24/21 8:24 PM
