If you find yourself struggling to understand President Biden’s position on marijuana legalization, you aren’t alone. His policies continue to confuse people on both sides of the legalization debate. His latest policy move (at the time of this writing, in March 2023) flies directly in the face of past claims that his administration is taking a new approach to marijuana laws.
In his 2024 budget proposal, the president seeks to continue the ban against marijuana sales in the nation’s capital. Meanwhile, the budget leans on a long-standing appropriations rider that prevents the Justice Department from enforcing federal marijuana laws against states and U.S. territories with legal medical cannabis and recreational marijuana.
So what’s the deal? Why is marijuana okay in the states and territories but not in Washington DC? There isn’t a logical answer to the question. But it could be that the president is showing his true colors by insisting on continuing the DC ban.
Historically Against Marijuana
Set aside politics and political parties for just one minute. Look into Biden’s history with marijuana legalization. Prior to becoming vice president under Barack Obama, Biden fought against marijuana tooth and nail. As a senator, his stand against both rescheduling and decriminalizing was clearly known throughout Washington. But even as vice president, his opposition did not necessarily wane. He just wasn’t as vocal about it.
So why does President Biden suddenly favor pardoning people convicted of minor marijuana crimes? Why is he in favor of keeping the Justice Department on a leash? No one knows for sure, but here’s a guess: polling.
Numerous polls over the last several years have shown increased acceptance of both medical and recreational marijuana among the voting public. Fewer people are opposed to marijuana consumption. More are either in favor of it or ambivalent toward it. Either way, polling means something to politicians. Polling often determines policy direction.
The Case for Medical Marijuana
Politicians changing their views on matters is so common that none of us take it seriously. We understand the concept of saying what needs to be said in order to get votes. Still, that doesn’t change fact that one can make a very strong case for legal medical marijuana.
Cannabis, in many forms, has been viewed as a therapeutic plant for millennia. Only in recent history has it come under medical and legal scrutiny. Marijuana wasn’t even added to the federal government’s list of Schedule I controlled substances until the 1970s.
States with medical cannabis programs recognize the potential for treating certain medical conditions with THC and CBD irrespective of how Washington classifies marijuana. Moreover, finding relief is more important to medical cannabis patients than state or federal legality.
Most patients use medcial cannabis to treat chronic pain, followed by cancer, or PTSD. Chronic pain is the clear leader, according to the Utahmarijuana.org website. Its founders are a group of medical professionals who assist Utah patients in obtaining their medical cannabis cards.
Make Up Your Mind
It would be interesting to get a few thousand medical marijuana patients together to learn their thoughts on the president’s conflicting policies. Perhaps there would be a consensus that the president needs to make up his mind once and for all. Of course, that’s just speculation. It could be that patients are fine with the current policies.
Confusion over marijuana legality will continue for as long as state and federal laws conflict. So even if the president did manage to reconcile his own policies, there is still the matter of federal law to deal with. Good luck getting that changed. The wheels of Congress have historically moved very slowly on this particular issue.
