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Representative Joseph Kennedy III reverses his position on the legalization of marijuana and says that he now supports the legalization of drugs at the federal level.
Kennedy's change of heart comes in an opinion piece for STAT the same day that recreational marijuana sales began for the first time in Massachusetts.
"Given the rapid pace of legalization and liberalization at the state level, I believe we need to implement strong, clear and fair federal guidelines. To do this, we must remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and legalize it at the federal level, "wrote Kennedy in the article published early Tuesday morning.
Brookline Democrat was skeptical about legalizing marijuana as late as March.
He told Ezra Klein of Vox that he was concerned about the impact of legalization on the state's fight against opioid addiction.
"One of my main goals in Congress is mental health and addiction, and a number of voices in this community raise serious questions about decriminalization or legalization efforts," he said.
While voters in Massachusetts decided to legalize marijuana or not in 2016, Kennedy is strongly opposed to this idea.
"I do not think marijuana should be legalized," he told Boston magazine at the time.
But now, Kennedy explained in the STAT opinion article, disparate legalization efforts between states have left marijuana regulation a gray area, which Kennedy says is detrimental to reform. criminal justice, public health, etc.
"My concerns about the impact of marijuana on public health remain. But it has become clear that prohibition has not been addressed at all. I think legalization is our best chance to dedicate resources to consumer safety, prevention of abuse and the treatment of those who need it, "he wrote.
In a statement Tuesday, the anti-marijuana legalization group, Smart Approaches to Marijuana, refrained from condemning Kennedy's stance, but lamented the position of lawmakers trying to balance the legalization of federal laws with federal law. .
"Because the federal government – led by all political parties – has not adequately addressed the votes of states that clearly violate federal law, we find ourselves in a stalemate that allows marijuana companies to behave like their Big Tobacco predecessors in the twentieth century, says the group.
"We understand the current situation [federal lawmakers] are aware of marijuana policies that are in conflict with the votes of their home country, "SAM said, while noting their disagreement with Kennedy's decision.
You can reach Christina Prignano at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @cprignano.
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