President Biden Withdraws from 2024 Presidential Race Amid Party Pressure, Eyes Cannabis Rescheduling Before Exit
President Joe Biden announced his decision to drop out of the presidential race in a letter posted on his official X account Sunday after growing pressure from colleagues in the Democratic party and big-name fundraisers. The president, who has been secluded while recovering from COVID-19, said he will speak to the nation in more detail later this week, reported CNN.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” Biden wrote. “And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”
Now What For Cannabis Legalization?
In mid-May, President Biden directed federal agencies to review the classification of marijuana, aiming to reschedule it from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance under federal law. This move followed numerous public statements, including his State of the Union address, where he emphasized that no one should be in jail for possession of cannabis.
“President Biden has taken historic steps toward ending the federal prohibition of cannabis, including starting the process to move it to Schedule III and pardoning thousands of Americans convicted of nonviolent cannabis offenses. We look forward to the current administration finalizing the rescheduling process, and we hope the next nominee will support formally ending federal cannabis prohibition,” said David Culver, senior vice president of public affairs at the U.S. Cannabis Council.
With Biden Out, VP Kamala Harris Would Be The Answer To The Question Of What’s Next
VP Harris has undergone a notable evolution in her stance on cannabis policy. On numerous occasions, especially in the past year, Harris has labeled the current classification of cannabis —equivalent to heroin and considered more dangerous than fentanyl— as “absurd” and “patently unfair.”
And If Trump Ends Up In The White House?
Trump’s stance on cannabis legalization is less clear. In April last year, he told a National Rifle Association meeting that the uptick in mass shootings across the country was “not a gun problem” but rather that “genetically engineered” cannabis and the trans community could be at fault. Don Murphy, founder of the American Cannabis Collective, noted, “I don’t see Donald Trump sticking his finger in the eye of 80% of Americans.”
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