• donuts@kbin.social
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    8 months ago

    I think it actually requires passing a federal bill, but I’m not honestly sure. Either way I’m with you, it should never have been made illegal and it certainly didn’t still be federally illegal today…

    • CmdrShepard@lemmy.one
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      8 months ago

      AFAIK the DEA and drug scheduling is under the executive branch so someone like Biden should be able to have it rescheduled, but so far all we’ve gotten from him is a committee to study whether marijuana is dangerous or not as roughly half the country have already fully legalized it and probably 2/3 have it legal for medicinal purposes.

      • BraveSirZaphod@kbin.social
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        8 months ago

        I think weed is an issue where Biden’s personal life experience and age show more than just about anywhere else. He’s an old devout Catholic boomer that doesn’t even drink and has a son that’s had a very public struggle with drug addiction. I don’t think he’s ever going to exactly be a champion of legalization.

        It’s definitely something that can be criticized, but in the grand scheme of things, given that federal prosecution of marijuana “crimes” are basically non-existent nowadays anyway, it’s a pretty small matter for me. You are right though that he has taken a step towards potentially rescheduling it, which is definitely a step in the right direction.

        • CmdrShepard@lemmy.one
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          8 months ago

          While people aren’t really being federally prosecuted, the ban still does have far reaching effects like not being able to cross a state border while in possession, get a federal job, or open a bank account as a dispensary (except in some circumstances). Our state department of revenue had to spend millions of dollars to build a giant vault in order to collect millions of dollars in cash from the tax revenue.

          I just find it frustrating since I think there’s plenty of political will to just end this draconian prohibition nationwide relatively easily, but nobody seems willing to step up to the plate regardless of party.

          • BraveSirZaphod@kbin.social
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            8 months ago

            nobody seems willing to step up to the plate regardless of party.

            I mean, this is the exact thing I’m talking about. Things are actually happening, but it’s the federal government and glaciers are speedy in comparison. The Department of Health and Human Services is, right now, doing work to fully explore rescheduling marijuana. A bill was passed recently that makes it substantially easier for researchers to study marijuana for medical purposes by reducing legal barriers.

            Progress is slow, and I completely understand and agree that it’s frustrating, but that doesn’t mean that nothing is happening.