Criminal justice reform, including marijuana legalization, will be a prominent issue in the 2020 presidential election.
- Under the Trump administration, the Department of Justice has aggressively cracked down on marijuana operations in states that have legalized the drug.
- All of the declared Democratic presidential candidates and one possible Republican contender have come out in support of marijuana legalization at the federal level.
While the issue of marijuana legalization and decriminalization was once a source of division among the Democratic Party, it has since become a mainstream stance among most Democrats, especially those running on platforms revolving around criminal justice reform.
Recreational marijuana is now legal in 10 states and the District of Columbia. A total of 33 states have approved marijuana use for medicinal purposes.
Under the Trump administration and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the Department of Justice has aggressively cracked down on marijuana operations in states that have legalized the drug — making marijuana a prominent issue in the 2020 presidential election.
So far, every single declared Democratic presidential candidate and one potential Republican contender have come out in support of both decriminalization and legalization of marijuana at the federal level.
New Jersey Senator and presidential candidate Cory Booker formally introduced the Marijuana Justice Act, an ambitious piece of legislation that aims to de-classify marijuana's status as a schedule one drug and expunge thousands of federal marijuana possession convictions.
Other presidential candidates, including Sens. Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Bernie Sanders, signed on to the legislation as co-sponsors.
And last year, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren put forth the bipartisan STATES Act with GOP Sen. Cory Gardner, which would prohibit the DOJ from prosecuting the use and commercial sale of marijuana in states that have legalized the drug.
Here's where all the 2020 candidates stand on federal marijuana policy:
President Donald Trump supports decriminalizing marijuana but believes legalization should be left up to the states — and reportedly made efforts to rein in Sessions' war on legal marijuana.
Sources: Business Insider, Vox
Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey not only introduced the Marijuana Justice Act in the Senate, but has made criminal justice reform a centerpiece of his presidential campaign, calling for legalization in his campaign announcement.
Source: Business Insider
Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, a former prosecutor, only recently came out in support of legalization, saying "states should have the right to determine the best approach to marijuana within their borders."
Source: Business Insider
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