Five White House employees were fired after admitting to prior marijuana use in the past.
White House and Cannabis Consumption
With five employees of the White House being fired under the Biden presidency, many people have scrutinizing questions. While we all know from Biden’s past remarks that he is not on board for the full scale legalization of cannabis, this most recent zero-tolerance policy comes as shocking to a vast majority of people, Republicans included. At a press conference with Jen Psaki, the press secretary, she explained that, though these firings may seem unjust, “it’s about working through the process, and taking steps to address the fact that marijuana is legal in a number of states across the country. It is still illegal federally.”
These firings caught the eye of many furious people, some whom aren’t even pot enthusiasts, like Representative David Joyce for example. Joyce went on to write a letter to the President that entailed, “Simply put, in a nation where the truth is considered malleable, we need to demonstrate to our young public servants that telling the truth is an honorable trait, not one to be punished. I respectfully request that your administration discontinue punishment of staff for being honest about their prior cannabis use and reinstate otherwise qualified individuals to their posts.”
These firings seem even more off-kilter when one remembers the Vice President Kamala Harris herself joked about her own prior marijuana use. This begs the question, “why doesn’t she get fired?,” and many took to social media with these same wonderings. Biden has also not explicitly commented on his direct role in perpetuating the drug war, as he helped to further anti-drug efforts during his time as a senator. However, he has called attention to the injustice and harm done to people because of it, and one campaign promise was to reform the criminal justice system and the opioid crisis accordingly.
People vs. Government: Views on Federal Marijuana Regulation
In 14 states now, recreational marijuana is legal. As states ramp up their support for pot legalization and it develops into more of a bipartisan issue, recent polls show that more than two-thirds of Americans believe in and support marijuana legalization. Even those who primarily vote Republican have started to shift their views on cannabis, as almost half (48%) of polled Republicans support legislation. As far as Democrats are concerned, a whopping four out of five (nearly 80%) agreed marijuana should be legalized.
As the times see shifting cannabis policies, advocates who promote marijuana activism are continuing to press for progessive drug reform. Udi Ofer, director of New York’s American Civil Liberty Union, had this to say, “It would be one thing if the White House came out with a position that said: ‘We don’t believe in these policies — we believe that people should not be punished for past marijuana use. It’s going to take us some time to go through the process of changing these policies, but here is where we stand.’”
Though Biden has the ability to directly influence the rescheduling of cannabis, as it is currently a Schedule I drug (alongside the likes heroin), there is no telling what he will do in the immediate. As law enforcement continues arrests for marijuana possession, even in states where it is legal, the federal government remains far behind the curve. Though we may be years away from seeing sweeping federal changes, there is plenty you can do to break down the negative stereotypes surrounding marijuana.
Additional Resources:
At The Weed Blog, we strive to produce the latest online news resources regarding marijuana. We also review various strains of cannabis or other edible counterparts. We are committed to helping you find valuable information about marijuana on our website. With marijuana laws constantly changing, learn from us what you can do to promote activism in your area. Otherwise, consider these other top-tier articles regarding cannabis:
