Booker Says He’ll Take Any Cannabis Reform Progress He Can Get

Booker Says Full Cannabis Legalization Is “Justice,” But He’ll Take Any Progress As Trump Weighs Federal Rescheduling Proposal

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) says that while descheduling marijuana represents the true path to “justice,” he’s prepared to support any level of progress on federal cannabis reform as President Donald Trump continues to consider a major rescheduling proposal. Speaking at an IgniteIt event in Washington, D.C., the senator emphasized that despite national political “tribalism” Americans across the ideological spectrum share “a common purpose” on marijuana policy.

Booker Affirms Descheduling as the Ultimate Goal: “That’s What the Right Thing To Do Is”

Booker said that removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act entirely is the only reform that fully aligns with justice, equity and scientific reality.

“Justice is descheduling. We all know that,” he said. “That’s what the right thing to do is: to deschedule. But I will accept any progress over no progress.”

His comments mark a subtle but notable shift for a lawmaker who has previously taken hardline positions particularly on cannabis banking reform arguing that incremental progress shouldn’t come before robust protections and restorative justice for communities harmed by prohibition.

Booker Calls Schedule I Status “Absurd” and “Defies Science and Reality”

The senator reiterated a long-standing criticism of federal drug policy, saying it makes no sense to classify cannabis alongside heroin and other dangerous substances.

“To have it Schedule I… defies all science and reality,” Booker said, describing the classification as an outdated relic that fuels continued criminalization.

He framed reform as both a moral imperative and a matter of public policy accuracy, saying the health and societal impacts of cannabis simply do not justify its current federal status.

Reflecting on His Presidential Campaign Clash With Biden Over Marijuana Policy

Booker shared a moment from the 2020 primary debate stage, recalling the line where he joked that whoever wrote then–Vice President Joe Biden’s marijuana plan “must have been high.”

“Everybody in the auditorium laughed,” he said. “My mom didn’t… She’s like, ‘Do not accuse the vice president of the United States of being high.’”

The anecdote underscored Booker’s longstanding advocacy for bold reform and his willingness to challenge incrementalism even from within his own party.

Booker Decries Political “Savagery” and Says Marijuana Reform Is a Unifying Issue

Booker argued that many of America’s most persistent problems including drug policy are falsely portrayed as strictly partisan.

“I don’t care, Republican or Democrat… We agree on so much more than we disagree with,” he said.

He warned that the “savagery of our tribalism” obscures areas where the public shares broad agreement such as marijuana reform.

“This is an area where we have a common purpose,” he said, pointing to polling that consistently shows strong bipartisan support for legalization, even as recent surveys suggest some waning enthusiasm among Republicans.

Reform Momentum Continues to Build But Trump’s Decision Is Still Pending

President Trump has said for months that he would make a final decision “within weeks” on a proposal to move marijuana to a lower schedule. A White House spokesperson recently confirmed the process remains “ongoing,” leaving both advocates and opponents waiting to see whether the administration will take what could be one of the most consequential federal cannabis actions in decades.

As the political landscape shifts, Booker says he intends to continue pushing for comprehensive reform but he made clear he won’t let the perfect be the enemy of meaningful change.

“I will accept any progress over no progress,” the senator repeated, signaling readiness to support steps that move federal policy closer to fairness, science, and the will of the American people.