Trump’s support for legalizing marijuana in Florida could signal
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump issued a statement early Monday that he would vote to legalize recreational marijuana use in Florida, sending a strong signal that both major parties are taking the popular marijuana reform measure beyond expectations. Land has elevated the issue in the presidential race.
But Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has expressed strong skepticism about Trump’s sudden embrace of reform and criticized Trump’s record in office, after The National Newsroom asked Harris about her stance on legalization. Accused him of “blatant pandering”.
Trump has sought throughout his political career to portray himself as the “law and order” candidate, and his announcement points to growing bipartisan support for marijuana legalization among voters across the country and could be a signal that Republican elected officials will align themselves with the initiative. Josh Glasstetter, spokesman for the organization the American Cannabis Council, told States Newsroom that with the legalization of marijuana.
“Trump’s statement on Truth Society shows that the political realignment on marijuana reform is well underway,” Grasteit said.
trump card said in the post He said on the social media platform that he would vote in favor of Florida’s Amendment 3, a ballot initiative that would legalize recreational marijuana use in the state.
He also said he supports federal legislation that would lift federal restrictions on banking services for state-legal marijuana businesses and move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the federal Controlled Substances Act.
States with legal recreational marijuana industries, currently numbering 24, have long sought changes to federal law that would allow banks to legally provide loans and other services to marijuana businesses legal under state law. The bill in Congress, while largely bipartisan, has been proposed for years but has yet to win the consensus needed to become law.
Schedule I is the most restrictive category in federal law, indicating drugs have no medicinal value and a high risk of abuse. President Joe Biden’s administration has begun moving toward Schedule III, which includes strictly regulated legal substances including Tylenol, which contains codeine.
Harris camp slams Trump
The Harris campaign said Trump was trying to cover up his past.
“Despite his blatant pandering, Donald Trump cannot hide his extensive record of dragging down marijuana reform,” campaign spokesman Joseph Costello wrote in an email. “As president, Trump has cracked down on nonviolent marijuana crimes—undermining state legalization laws, opposing safe banking legislation and even trying to roll back protections for medical marijuana.
“Donald Trump doesn’t actually believe in marijuana reform, but the American people are smart enough to see through his campaign lies.”
The campaign did not respond to follow-up messages seeking clarification of Harris’ stance on the issue.
Trump’s first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, took a hard line against the trend of states legalizing marijuana. He rescinded a 2013 document known as the “Cole Memo,” which required federal officials not to participate in state-legal marijuana operations.
But Glastetter said Trump has “definitely re-evaluated his position on the issue,” reflecting a consensus among voters that Republican officials have been slow to act.
“For years, marijuana reform advocates have been talking about the growing bipartisan consensus among voters supporting marijuana reform, while elected officials have been a lagging indicator, especially on the conservative side,” he said.
While Harris has not pressed the issue — in addition to not answering an emailed question on Monday, the campaign’s newly launched issues page on its website does not mention marijuana — she is viewed as a reformer based on her record allies, including as a U.S. Senator and California Attorney General.
Harris convenes roundtable of marijuana reform advocates March at the White House They include rapper Fat Joe and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat. At that event, she touted the administration’s efforts to loosen federal marijuana restrictions and expressed support for broad reforms.
“I’ve said it many times: I believe – and I think all of us here believe – that no one should go to jail for smoking marijuana,” she said.
republican leader
Trump’s endorsement could be seen as an attempt to narrow the policy differences between the two parties on a hot-button issue.
Glassetter said Republicans in Congress are lagging behind their Democratic colleagues in pursuing marijuana reform, even as polls and ballot initiatives in states that favor both parties show that legalizing marijuana use is gaining traction among voters across the political spectrum. Come more and more popular.
Pew Research Center poll This year 88% of respondents believe marijuana should be legal for recreational or medical use. This is up from 68% last year Same survey in 2022.
At a May hearing of the U.S. House Commerce, Judiciary and Science Appropriations Subcommittee, just days after Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that the administration would seek to reschedule marijuana regulations, Republican representatives asked the federal Drug Enforcement Administration Director Anne Milgram expressed skepticism about the move.
Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., noted that research has found a link between marijuana use and psychosis. He said the country was dealing with a mental health crisis.
“I’m worried that rescheduling cannabis will make the crisis worse,” he said.
But Glastetter said Trump has huge influence among congressional Republicans and his support could be crucial in getting more Republicans to switch sides.
“Former President Trump was a leading indicator,” he said. “We anticipate that his high-profile support for marijuana reform will make it easier for other Republicans, especially in Congress, to come forward in support of marijuana reform.”
