Marijuana legalization was a hot topic during the recent Democratic presidential campaign, with progressive candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren arguing in favor and Joe Biden taking a more cautious stance.
Now, Biden, the presumptive winner, is getting more specific on his plans for pot. He has issued a criminal justice reform agenda that includes full decriminalization and expunging all prior cannabis convictions—but stops short of nationwide legalization. In addition, Biden wants to end all incarceration for drug use alone and instead divert individuals to drug courts and treatment.
It is a reasonable, sensible approach that will likely draw the ire of the cannabis industry and younger voters, as well as social justice advocates. They believe legalization is a pathway to economic equality for many communities—particularly those of color—who were disproportionately harmed by the failed drug policies of the past, although these gains have so far failed to materialize. If Biden is the candidate, it’s not clear what Trump’s pot strategy will be, although in the past he has opposed legalization and other reform measures.
And finally, cannabis companies in Massachusetts claim they face “extinction” if the state’s ban on adult-use recreational marijuana continues. But so far Governor Charlie Baker is holding firm in his conviction that such sales would encourage tourists to flock to the state and thereby increase the spread of Covid-19.