Since 1970, marijuana has been categorized as a Schedule 1 controlled substance. That means it’s been placed alongside heroin and LSD as a dangerous drug. Presidential candidates now seem to embrace the full legalization of marijuana. This might seem like a stark reversal from the war that the Democratic and Republican administrations have waged on drugs for decades.
It reflects on the rapid spread of the need and use of marijuana for recreational and medical purposes at the state legal. The markets for marijuana are also proliferating with more voters supporting the ending of the prohibition of marijuana use. Almost two-thirds of all voters support the legalization of marijuana. And, this number is likely to increase in the coming years.
Andrew Yang is a businessman and entrepreneur. He is also a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. Yang supports the legalization of marijuana. In his Twitter handle and policy page, Yang has said that marijuana should be made legal nationwide. This presidential candidate has noted that several states have already legalized marijuana.
According to Yang, legalization of marijuana at the state level reflects that people are using it as a safer approach when it comes to pain relief. More people prefer cannabis over opiates. Some are smoking it while others are using the best cbd (https://vapingdaily.com/best-cbd/cbd-oils/) products. Yang adds that it’s unfortunate that the U.S administration of the laws on drugs is profoundly racist and uneven.
Marijuana Legality
Currently, federal law considers marijuana a controlled substance. That means possessing and using marijuana for any purpose is illegal according to federal law. Necessarily, Schedule 1 drugs like marijuana are classified as having a high abuse potential. And, they are not accepted for medical use. It has limited even the exploration of the potential use of marijuana for medical purposes. However, policies on the recreational and medical use of marijuana vary significantly at the state level. In some states, these policies conflict with federal law.
But, though marijuana use is federally illegal, the Food and Drug Administration has approved some derivative compounds of weed for prescription purposes. Epidiolex, which is a drug based on cannabidiol or CBD has, for instance, been approved by the FDA. CBD from the industrial hemp is also federally legal. However, its legality at the state level varies.
Yang’s Stance on Marijuana Legalization
Marijuana legalization is a significant component of Yang’s 2020 campaign platform. This presidential candidate has cited the need to address the ambiguity that surrounds the legality of marijuana. Yang has noted the ambiguity between federal and state marijuana laws. He has described marijuana criminalization as racist and stupid. Yang has said that people are already using marijuana and its derivatives like the best cbd oil for varied reasons. Therefore, cannabis should be legalized federally.
On Yang 2020 policy page, this candidate claims that he will support marijuana legalization fully if elected president. Yang also notes that thousands of people are in jail at the moment for cannabis-related offenses. He adds that most of these are people of color. This candidate indicates that if he is elected president, he will expunge all federal convictions for offenses that relate to marijuana possession or use. He will also reduce punishments for non-violent drug offenders through the provision of early release or probation.
Yang sent a fundraising email to followers promising to pardon every individual that has been imprisoned for a non-violent, low-level marijuana offense. He added that he would high-five the offenders as they leave jail. Yang has included the sale of marijuana-themed merchandise like baseball caps, t-shirts, and bumper stickers in his campaign.
This presidential candidate has not been given a chance to vote on any cannabis legislation or introduce a co-sponsor. That’s because he has not been to any political office.
Nobody Should Be Jailed For Possession or Use of Something That Should Be Legal
Yang has pushed back at the suggestion by Joe Bidden that the state ought to decide whether recreational marijuana should be legalized or not. Being an advocate for the full legalization of marijuana, Yang has openly supported the decriminalization of cannabis and expunging of all previous convictions related to the possession and use of marijuana.
According to Yang, nobody should go to jail for possession or using something that is already legal in some parts of the same country. He adds that the law that criminalizes marijuana has been applied unequally and has targeted the disadvantaged brown and black kids unfairly. As such, the focus should be on regulating and taxing marijuana.
Research indicates that people have used cannabis to treat diseases or alleviate symptoms for many years. Some of the conditions for which marijuana has been used as a potential treatment include neuropathic pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia, as well as, chemotherapy-related vomiting and nausea.
It’s, therefore, not a surprise that some people are using the best cbd oil for pain. CBD is a cannabinoid that is derived from the industrial hemp. It’s one of the many compounds that occur naturally in marijuana. But, what makes this cannabinoid accessible is the fact that it’s non-psychoactive. That means it does not cause the high feeling that people associate with marijuana.
Today, people are taking CBD in different forms, including capsules, oil, and edibles, for varied reasons. Since the FDA has approved CBD that is derived from the industrial hemp plant, people are buying, selling, and using it widely.
The Bottom Line
Andrew Yang is one of the few presidential candidates to come out openly in support of the full legalization of marijuana. With more people favoring the use of marijuana, his stance on its legalization is likely to get him massive help. Today, some people want to use cannabis for different health conditions, but its legality status at the federal level makes it inaccessible to them. Others use recreational marijuana hiding due to the fear of being arrested and charged for possessing and using the herb. The legalization of marijuana will enable such people to access the grass with ease. It will also make the best full spectrum cbd oil easily accessible to people that currently use the cannabinoid for different health conditions.