Dear Joe Biden: Marijuana is not a gateway drug and it should be legalized.

[garybeck]

Preface I would vote for ANY of the dem candidates in the general election.

But personally I would much rather put my support behind one of the candidates who is forward thinking enough to know that marijuana needs to be legalized, or at least it should be decriminalized on the federal level.

I give him an opportunity to change his mind on this but he is simply wrong.

It's not a gateway drug.

I know many many people who have smoked pot all their lives and never touched anything else, and live very productive lives with good jobs, stable families. Alcohol is more addictive than pot and has the potential to cause many more problems in one's life than pot.

Yes it bothers me that he is on the wrong side of this issue.

[BlueFlorida]

1. ...

[jalan48]

2. R U thinking we should just skip over issues and just go straight to anointment?

[Merlot]

6. Because we know how well anointment works out.

I for one need to know Bidens position on ALL the issues. His status as "elder statesman" does not free him up from having policies and taking stands.

[jalan48]

10. Yep.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

12. All issues should be properly vetted, as part of the primary process.

That's the only way to determine the best candidate to go against tRumpy.


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[duforsure]

19. I agree,

I would think everyone wants to be informed to make their choice for the candidate that represents their own positions , on whatever issue it is.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

20. Yes, as long as the issue is ACCURATELY represented... there should nothin to fear!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[BlueFlorida]

44. How about some essays from the 70's? nt

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

49. EVERYTHING should be on the table... bring it!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[tonedevil]

50. You must be talking about...

The Tyranny of Structurelessness by Joreen Freeman. I was just rereading it about a week ago. It's an excellent piece I can understand why you would be bringing it up.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

9. Guess so.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[DownriverDem]

25. Don't forget

it was Biden who changed Obama's mind on Gay marriage. Folks evolve. My focus is finding a candidate that can beat trump. Folks want normalcy. Biden represents someone who knows the system that will get things done. The repubs have had a long run. We need a long Dem run or nothing will change. Everyone has to pull together or it's done. I'm serious.

[marylandblue]

35. I'm sorry to tell you this, but the system Biden knew is dead.

He will have no easier or harder time getting things through the Senate than anyone else. If Republicans are keep the Senate, McConnell will block everything. If so, we would be back to executive orders like the last 4 years of Obama. Which wasn't normal.

If Republicans do not keep the Senate, Schumer will happily work with any Democratic President. If so we will have to end the filibuster and have a crash program of pushing through long-needed reforms which will create a new normal. I'd rather have a President who knows he or she wants this new system to look like than one who knows how the old worked.

[BlueFlorida]

43. It is just trying to find one minor issue after another

because there is panic in some quarters.

[jalan48]

73. I'm not sure what you mean by "panic in some quarters". Marijuana legalization is a real issue,

especially for those locked up in prison for simple possession of a small amount of the drug. Their incarceration affects not just themselves but also other family members. Asking a politician's stance on legalization is the right thing to do-nothing panicky about it.

[BlueFlorida]

74. POTUS cannot legalize marijuana

Only the congress can.

Bringing that issue in a presidential primary is specious.

[jalan48]

75. The President is allowed to take stands on certain issues. Are you suggesting the President should

never talk about something only Congress can do-say the impeachment of Trump?

[AlexSFCA]

84. will it help him win in general election?

we should focus on winning in 2020 and discussing what will help us win not damage and divide.
Before you ask any question, think if it will help us beat trump.

[jalan48]

87. I think the legalization of marijuana will help Democrats win, yes.

[True Dough]

65. That remark probably stings

but it was called for in this instance!

[ZZenith]

3. So you think pot smokers should be locked up, then?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

13. Cue the crickets... chirp! chirp!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Leith]

29. I don't get that from the post

How does saying "not this again!" equate to thinking that pot smokers should be locked up? Please enlighten.

As for Joe Biden - or any other candidate - one's personal beliefs on pot is not a deal maker or a deal breaker. And, yes, the issue does affect me personally.

Even if pot is legalized federally, that will do nothing to prevent states from criminalizing it (see abortion laws for parallels).

[ZZenith]

41. It's not his personal beliefs on pot that concern me.

It’s the fact that he’s never evolved from backing draconian and senseless legislation designed to punish people for the crime of trying to feel better, and decriminalizing it at the federal level will go a long way towards getting it decriminalized at the state level.

BlueFlorida’s patronizing gif tries to minimize the issue, as though it’s irrelevant old news, which it most certainly is not.

Are you enlightened yet, or shall I continue?

[BlueFlorida]

45. lol

[Leith]

92. I will add this to the list of reasons

to avoid this forum.

[ZZenith]

94. As you wish.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. What do you think vetting looks like?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

14. Seems to me vetting should apply to ALL candidates... why should Joe get a pass?

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[cannabis_flower]

16. It's not going to go away!

People have been telling marijuana activists to wait for years. The genie is out of the bottle and you really can't put it back in. Ten states legal recreational marijuana and it's become a big industry. So quit the wailing and gnashing of teeth and calm down. Trump himself has said he would sign a bill legalizing marijuana at the federal level, so Joe better make a statement soon if he wants us to stop bringing it up.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

18. Nor should it!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[BlueFlorida]

47. So you think if you pounced on Biden and weakened him

Trump will legalize it for you?

[Autumn]

77. No one thinks that. Biden is out of touch on this subject compared to all other candidates.

We have plenty of strong candidates that are in favor of it. I think his stand on it is what would weaken him. He should come out in favor since 60% of registered voters think it should be legal.

A Quinnipiac University poll last month found 60 percent of registered voters think marijuana should be legal in the United States. And, a few percentage points more from the same poll, 63 percent, are in favor of erasing criminal records for marijuana possession.

https://poll.qu.edu/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=2604

[BlueFlorida]

81. lmao

[Autumn]

82. How odd that you find truth to be laughable.

[ehrnst]

32. No one has been able to explain to me what they mean by "status quo"

Can you?

I hear it exists, but not in a form that people can really define.

Like the Blair Witch or something.

[BlueFlorida]

48. Status quo

means anyone except Bernie in charge.

[ehrnst]

54. You know, that totally fits all the times i've heard the term deployed.

[NYMinute]

58. Yes, when Bernie is elected everything will change from the "status quo"

Food will cost half as much, houses will be free to the poor, gas stations will provide free gas to the needy, there will be no disease or illness. Poor people will be sitting by the pool sipping drinks containing pineapple wedges and umbrellas while billionaires, CEOs and corporate executives will be picking trash on the side of the freeways.

[Merlot]

5. The cost to society for the drug war on MJ is horrendous

Lives have been ruined not from smoking MJ, but from having criminal records and serving time.

Please, please tell me that Biden is not still in the drug war mindset.

BTW, are we throwing opiate abusers in prison?

[marylandblue]

37. Wow. So sorry you are going through this.

[happybird]

55. Oh, thank you.

It is what it is. I've accepted it's nothing I can change or control. It's been almost like the stages of grief- shock, anger (lots of anger), sadness, and finally acceptance. And relief, tbh (and guilt for feeling relieved).

He's been on a very, very bad path and I think this may have been the only thing that would have stopped him. Prison sucks, for sure, but he's alive.That's what matters.Too many people cannot say that about their loved one with an opiate addiction.

We are hoping this time away will help him.
The whole "hindsight is 20/20" thing has been hard.There was a lot of willful ignorance and denial on my part.

[Cattledog]

78. Biden on enforcement.

Quote from 2014 Time mag interview: “the idea of focusing significant resources on interdicting or convicting people for smoking marijuana is a waste of our resources.”

[leftofcool]

8. Joe has been wrong on several issues in 30 years

But, that doesn't mean he won't make a good president.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

17. True, but IMHO, other Democratic candidates, who've been wrong on issues far less frequently...

would make a BETTER President. That's what the vetting process is for... to ferret out the best candidate.


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Go Vols]

23. +1

[JudyM]

24. +1.

[ehrnst]

34. Wrong less frequently...

You mean.... he's been WRONG?

What happened?

[NYMinute]

61. ANd I thought Bernie was nEvEr wRoNg

[paleotn]

51. True, but....

our perception of what makes a good president has been significantly degraded of late.

[appalachiablue]

11. Gifys of H. Wood, Celebs everywhere lately. Long season ahead

[barbtries]

15. yes, me too.

i didn't know that he's failed to evolve on that question.

alcohol tainted my childhood (mother, possibly father alcoholic), left me an orphan at 25 years old, killed my daughter, and has been a factor in yet another tragedy in my family, about which i cannot elaborate. at counseling the other day my counselor agreed that alcohol has become a trigger for me.

i read the other day that the very first impaired driving case attributed to marijuana has been brought. possibly in VT? can't recall. nobody ever overdosed from pot, and as you said, millions indulge daily and lead productive, happy lives.

[JudyM]

26. So sorry for all that pain, barbtries.

((Hug))

Alcohol certainly has ruined many, many lives.
Another way weed is better (besides the and all that entails) is that domestic violence and other types of violence have been shown to decrease where it’s available recreationally. Maybe from alcohol use decreasing...

[rollin74]

21. Exactly. His long history of support for mass incarceration and

the failed “war on drugs” is disturbing to say the least

he is farther to the right than many republicans on criminal justice matters

[Demsrule86]

36. Sen sanders voted for the crime bill and ran on it in Vermont in 2006.

He didn't regret it until quite a bit later.

[rollin74]

59. If Biden announces a change of heart and supports

a more progressive drug policy I will welcome that and consider voting for him

so far he hasn’t

all we have to go on, at this point, are his stated policy positions and voting record

and those are pretty terrible

[Demsrule86]

38. Joe Biden is a progressive....so that is untrue.

[marylandblue]

69. He's always been a moderate, that is a big part of his appeal.

He does evolve on issues, so that's good, but he doesn't evolve very far ahead of the crowd, so I wouldn't consider him a progressive. I hope he has evolved on marijuana, since most of the country is in favor of legalizing it now, but has he said anything about it?

[Mr.Bill]

22. It can be statistically proven that

breast milk is a gateway drug.

[zentrum]

27. Heard recently that the

....key group for this election will be young people, and black women. Black women are "the most reliable voters" for Democrats. They must be inspired to turn out.

This issue is important to both young people and POC---because of how it relates to our injustice system.

Joe has to step it up.

[Kurt V.]

28. K&R

[Otto Lidenbrock]

30. Once again Jimmy Carter was ahead of his time

[garybeck]

93. Still my fav.

[yaesu]

31. We need a real progressive candidate in the GE or we will get 4 more years of tRump

and if that happens we will really need that weed.

[Demsrule86]

39. Exactly the opposite. We need a candidate who can attract moderates. We won the

House with moderates. We need the rustbelt...rebuild the blue wall.

[crazytown]

85. Joe has his work cut out for him with young people.

They stayed at home for Gore.

[NYMinute]

64. An ultra left candidate will be destroyed by Trump

and won't be able to attract center-left Democrats -- there are millions of those in the Midwest and purple states.

In the 2018 blue wave, almost all of the seats that were flipped were flipped by centrist Democrats.

[UniteFightBack]

40. He'll come around on this issue or he won't. Ain't gonna change my pot smoking not one damn

bit. He's allowed his opinion and I have mine. I have more pressing priorities right now.

I'm doing a BONG for BIDEN !!

BUDS for BIDEN !!!

[NNadir]

42. It would bother me if he was on the wrong side of the issue...

...except I don't agree with the legalization of marijuana myself.

I think he's on the right side, and yes, I do know a lot about pot. I came of age in the early 70's.

I certainly don't support imprisoning people, but neither do I want it sold legally.

I don't know a single person who has smoked pot their whole lives that I would want in mine.

[tonedevil]

56. If it is illegal...

why wouldn't you imprison people over it?

[NNadir]

67. It is illegal to drive 95 miles down the freeway. It has a real potential to harm people.

However, in general, unless someone does harm someone, they just pay a hefty fine.

You know what? My Nephew smokes pot. He was an A student with a bright future until the 11th grade, when he started.

I don't think he should go to prison, and I do hope that eventually he gets a GED and goes to college. Prison of course, wouldn't do him or anyone else any good, but not smoking pot might have done good.

Pot is legal where he lives. I wish it wasn't.

[tonedevil]

83. I'm sorry to hear your Nephew...

is struggling. It's always hard to watch a family member not doing well. Not knowing anything regarding his circumstance I can't say it serves as a cautionary tale for me.
I had my troubles in High School and since I got arrested for possession in front of the school it is demonstrably true I would have had an easier time if I hadn't smoked pot. That was 45 years ago and today I have been gainfully employed as an IT professional for more than 30 years, have a good relationship with my daughters, and take care of my elderly mother. That is more typical of other pot smokers I know. I don't see why you want me to pay fines for this activity.

[NNadir]

97. The experience of being a designated driver at a wild party has some relevance here.

One of the most brilliant people I ever knew, a high school friend, when he went to college could drink all night, get wasted drunk, wake up at 8 in the morning, take an exam in differential equations in a class at a prestigious college, and get the highest grade in the class.

When I visited him at college, I saw him do it. He was a brilliant musician, a witty person, a decent artist, and a tremendous conversationalist.

I have heard stories from people I know who worked with a rather prominent chemist, a Nobel Laureate, that that Laureate had a habit of getting blitzed.

Neither of these stories of course prove that alcohol is good for you.

The high school friend I described is dead. He was killed in an auto accident before he was 30.

When I was around pot when it was incredibly illegal - one could go to prison for a couple of joints - I saw lots of pot smokers who said they were just fine, and they had no problems.

Of course, they were making this judgement about themselves when they were high; their judgement was impaired, which became pretty clear if one was in the room with them and one wasn't high.

This was often the point of Cheech and Chong routines.

You say you're a good person and it sounds very much as if you are, at least from your self description. However you don't know if you would be an even better person if you didn't smoke pot.

I no longer know anyone who smokes pot other than my nephew; but I'm sure if I did they'd all tell me how good they're doing without knowing how much better they could be if their judgement isn't impaired.

I am more concerned about young people than I am about us old farts who have ruined the world in our sybaritic consumer self indulgent race for material and ersatz emotional ecstasy. We had our chance and we blew it.

I personally have failed to give back to the world what it was my responsibility to give and as the end of my life approaches I am filled with regret for not giving more. Part of my failure is to have viewed myself with impaired judgement.

My nephew breaks my heart. He had other emotional problems; his parents divorce; their poor parenting; and their insistence on living in a "cool" town for old hippies with lousy schools. Addressing these problems by smoking pot, by self medication, has put him into a tail spin from which I hope he emerges. I've seen people re-emerge. Frankly from what I've heard, I'm hoping he doesn't become a suicide.

I am not in favor of mass incarceration to address social problems. That said, I don't want pot openly distributed and legal to sell. Yes, I believe fines are appropriate.

[tonedevil]

98. Again my sincerest sympathy...

watching your Nephew struggle with his life has to be painful. Your description of his situation in the penultimate paragraph dosen't go very far to convince me that demon weed is the main culprit though. I have no idea how the tale of drunkenness by geniuses is supposed to relate. It is always a tragedy when someone dies young, but the relevance to the discussion at hand isn't obvious to me.
There are any number of different things that I could have done to be better. Some of them might include avoiding intoxicants. Being kinder or not being so quick to anger seems higher on the list by a long shot. The thing is there is no control group for our lives is there? I can't go to the me that didn't do what I did and see how that worked out for me. Declaring that I would be better if I didn't use marijuana is arbitrary and ultimately unverifiable.
I am very happy to see marijuana use being treated with relative sanity in recent times. For nearly a century lives were destroyed, people made to rot in prison for possession of minuscule amounts of a plant. I will fight tooth and nail not to go back to the horrors of prohibition.

[USALiberal]

86. Do you wish alcohol was also not legal? nt

[NNadir]

95. Do you wish that alcohol was more widely used? Tobacco? Guns?

There are many things that are legal that are bad for you and bad for society in general. Some of these things are long cultural investments, particularly in the United States.

Simply saying something is just as bad as pot or even worse does not make pot a good thing.

I want guns to be illegal and I'm happy that tobacco is being taxed at tremendous levels, as is alcohol. Some people think that all we need to do is tax marijuana and every thing will be happy, and we can open pot stores next to liquor stores.

Maybe we can open them next to gun stores.

I simply don't want to broaden access to self destruction arbitrarily.

The problem is that people, with very little knowledge want to insist that pot is good for you. It isn't.

[rollin74]

63. heavy handed drug laws and enforcement have...

destroyed more lives than cannabis ever will

not to mention the unequal enforcement targeting certain communities

[NNadir]

68. This is true, no question.

This doesn't mean that cannabis doesn't destroy lives as well.

Above I just named a case in my own family.

I don't favor prison for pot, but I do favor hefty fines for people who sell it.

[NNadir]

70. You may have misplaced this answer, since I agree with Biden.

I have no preference in this primary season, and if I did, it wouldn't matter since I live in NJ and the candidate will be decided before I get in a primary.

I agree with him on not legalizing pot.

I think you meant to address the person to whom I responded.

[NYMinute]

71. Yes, I did. Thank you.

[warmfeet]

46. Alcohol is theeeeee, I said theeeeee

gateway drug.

You are quite correct sir.

That being said, I also will vote for the Democratic nominee.

[tymorial]

52. Purity I tell you. Purity is the only way!

[Cattledog]

53. That quote is from 2010.

Views change. People evolve.

In 2008 Obama said: "I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage."

[DesertRat]

76. Subsequent quotes indicate his position remains the same.

If it’s not, he should say so.

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/where-presidential-candidate-joe-biden-stands-on-marijuana/

[LakeArenal]

57. Saw Joe Biden last summer on the UW Madsion GOTV rally

He said he was for the legalization of pot..

[marlakay]

62. I am reading everywhere he is not for it

Said so last week. If he was for it would help him win in the general after others youth wanted are out.

[LakeArenal]

80. Well I was there. I heard it. I didn't read it.

[marlakay]

88. Needs to get out then

Because I can tell you no one seems to know about it.

[LakeArenal]

89. A few thousand people here do.

[FreeState]

91. His WI visits are all YouTube

Care to point out where he said that?

[MH1]

60. I agree with you on this issue, but it is SO far down my list.

Of all the catastrophes happening, a delay in getting to sanity on marijuana would be relatively small.

That said if another candidate with a better position on m.j. makes a strong showing in swing states, I might just back that person before Biden.

But I'll take sub-optimal Biden, if he can win against Trump, over any candidate who I don't believe can win, even if the other is better on policy. There's just too much at stake.

[honest.abe]

90. Exactly.

This issue is about number 20 on my critical list.

[NYMinute]

72. Biden has qualities that many people don't appreciate

He has empathy and he is sincere. He listens and he evolves. He has evolved on many issues, particularly gay marriage.

Marijuana legalization fight is never in the white house. A president cannot unilaterally change laws. This fight belongs in the house and the senate. Elect people who will amend the legislation. Biden will sign the bill.

Stop trashing Biden over issues he is not going to control.

[doompatrol39]

79. Honestly, watching a clip of him cheerleading his crime bill....

....put me firmly in the "No fucking way" in the primary camp. Yeah, obviously better than Trump, I'll vote fore him in the GE and all of that. But this wasn't just a vote, this was him crowing about how it was going to make people stop saying Democrats were soft on crime.

That AND his marijuana stance.
That AND his behavior during the Anita Hill hearing.
That AND his heavy support of the bankruptcy bill.
That AND the fact that we have so many good candidates who have consistently been on the CORRECT side of these issues and who understand firsthand the dangerous impact of the policies that Joe vigorously supported but has had to "evolve" on and how important it is put forward someone who is a symbol of progress and the future as opposed "Hey, it's that guy we liked in that other thing."

[IluvPitties]

96. Joe has evolved in 42 years... A lot.

We live in a culture in which we judge people for their past and not for their present or future.

Joe will be a much more progressive president than people think.

[Gothmog]

99. Biden did not say that Marijuana is a gateway drug

Here is Biden's full statement

Link to tweet