PHOENIX (AP) — President Joe Biden ultimately Ban TikTokbut he is moving to give something back to . Young people Who controls popular social media apps? Federal regulations on marijuana will be eased.
It faces weakening support from left-wing voting groups. crucial to his re-election hopes In November, Biden made a number of election-year moves specifically aimed at appealing to the public. young voters. His move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug comes just weeks after canceling student loans for an additional 206,000 borrowers. She has also made abortion rights a central part of her re-election bid.
President Joe Biden waves as he walks to Marine One for departure from the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Washington. Biden is heading to Delaware. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The push comes as the Democratic president struggles to hold together the coalition that brought him to the White House in 2020, seeking to emphasize issues that resonate with younger voters.
Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, is battling the perception that he is illegitimate among voters. missed a step Because he is old. Dissatisfaction with his handling of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza exploded. riot on college campus. While inflation is on the rise, fell from the peak Although the job market remains strong, polls show many Americans still have negative views of Biden’s handling of the economy.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s proposal: medical uses of cannabis And it acknowledges that it has a lower potential for abuse than some of the nation’s most dangerous drugs. However, it does not fully legalize marijuana for recreational purposes.
Biden will call for a review of federal cannabis laws in October 2022. forgive thousands of Americans He was federally convicted of simple possession of drugs. He also called on state governors and local leaders to take similar steps to expunge marijuana convictions.
“The American people have made it clear in each state that legalizing marijuana is inevitable,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat and early supporter of relaxing marijuana laws, in a statement. . “The Biden-Harris administration is listening.”
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris highlighted their support for reforming marijuana laws in commemoration of the April 20 cannabis holiday Saturday at 4:20 p.m.
The comments are the latest sign that the Biden administration plans to continue focusing on popular issues ahead of the November election.
“Too many lives have been turned upside down by sending people to prison simply for possessing marijuana, and many states are putting people in jail for things they no longer prohibit,” Biden wrote on social media platform X. “The time has come to right these wrongs.”
Marijuana policy favors the president.
According to AP VoteCast, 63% of voters nationwide in the 2022 midterm elections say they support legalizing recreational marijuana use nationwide, while 36% say they oppose it. Support for legalization was highest among adults under 45, with 73% in favor. About 8 out of 10 Democrats, about two-thirds of independents, and about half of Republicans approved.
Mr. Biden announced Federal government pardons thousands for marijuana possession Reduced long sentences handed down for non-violent drug crimes. In 2022, he asked governors to pardon state crimes.
President Joe Biden arrives at Delaware Air National Guard Base in Wilmington, Del., Tuesday, April 30, 2024 (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Young voters lean leftward, but they are also less likely to vote. Mr. Biden has a group of trusted supporters staying home, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent who is aggressively courting younger voters, and Jill Stein of the Green Party, who is backed by Mr. Biden. We cannot afford to vote for such a third-party candidate. Opposed to Israel’s war in Gaza.
The past two elections were decided by fewer than 100,000 votes in three states.
Despite growing public acceptance, Biden’s move has prominent critics, including several former Drug Enforcement Administration officials. Opponents argue that the potency of today’s cannabis can cause harmful side effects such as psychosis and anxiety.
“This is a political stunt and does not follow the science,” said former DEA Administrator Tim Shea. “An election year is politics. It’s like canceling student loans. It’s targeted at select people, and it’s going to have a negative impact.”
“Law enforcement can’t believe this is happening,” Shea added.
During the crack epidemic of the 1980s and ’90s, then-Sen. Biden has had a prominent voice in the drug war.
Ethan Nadelman, who has advocated for drug legalization for decades, now feels that perhaps a more liberal stance on marijuana could help rally younger voters and the party’s progressive wing. He said he thought it might be.
“It would put an end to the hypocrisy,” Nadelman said.
Former President Donald Trump’s views on marijuana are unclear. But as a Florida resident, he has the opportunity to vote for the legalization initiative on the November ballot. In an interview with Newsmax last year, the would-be Republican presidential nominee acknowledged that legalizing marijuana is a “pretty popular thing” among voters, but said he believes marijuana causes “significant harm.” Stated.
Federal drug policy lags behind many states nationwide, with 38 states already legalizing medical marijuana. 24 companies have approved recreational use. This has fueled the rapid growth of the US marijuana industry, with sales estimated to reach $25 billion annually.
Relaxed federal regulations could reduce tax burdens by more than 70% by allowing companies to receive tax credits and loans, according to industry groups. It could also make it easier for scientists to study marijuana.
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Associated Press writers Joshua Goodman in Miami and Jim Mustian in New Orleans contributed.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the 2024 election. https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024.
