Biden is still not being sold to legalize cannabis at the federal level, despite Schumer’s new cannabis law

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The new Democratic law to legalize recreational marijuana left the president unmoved, according to press secretary Jen Psaki at a conference on Wednesday.

“I’ve spoken about the president’s views on marijuana in the past,” Psaki replied to a journalist’s question about Senators Chuck Schumer, Cory Booker and Ron Wyden’s proposal to regulate cannabis like tobacco. “Nothing has changed. Today there are no new legislations to report.”

She later clarified that she had not spoken to President Joe Biden about Wednesday’s revealed proposal, but that she was certain he had not changed his mind on the matter.

The President has stated on numerous occasions that he is not in favor of legalizing adult cannabis. In April, Psaki outlined a plan that would only classify the plant as a List 2 substance (where it would be next to cocaine, oxycodone and – good god – fentanyl). Although the press secretary said this new plan would meet the president’s goal of getting non-violent cannabis offenders out of prison, there are doubts that the law would actually achieve it.

The President’s White House has also made headlines for firing, suspending and reprimanding employees who have confessed to using cannabis in the past. More recently, the White House has thrown its weight on blocking cannabis sales in Washington DC, which ultimately allowed a thriving gray market to expand.

People were stunned when Biden expressed support and even admiration for U.S. sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who was removed from Team USA after a positive THC test – but didn’t contradict the verdict itself. “Rules are rules,” he said, coining a line that aptly sums up his stance on cannabis and punishment.

Biden’s dissent could prove to be a serious hurdle for the Democrats to pass the legalization bill. Even without his veto as a roadblock, Schumer and his allies will struggle to get the votes they need in the Senate to advance legislation.

Although federal action on the matter appears dubious, 18 states have now legalized adult cannabis. A recent poll by Pew Research shows that 60 percent of Americans support adult legalization at the federal level, while another 31 percent support drug legalization. That means 90 percent of the country hope federal laws will change.

Speaking of hesitant presidents, there are many eerie parallels between the legalization situation in the United States and Mexico. In Mexico, lawmakers from President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s ruling Morena Party have suggested that stretching legalization rules could be a priority for the next legislature – but the concern is they may face opposition from their leader AMLO, who explains his reservations has about expanding access and opening a commercial leisure industry for the facility.

In other parts of North America, a recent poll found that 42 percent of Canadians identify themselves as cannabis users, with 12 percent having become cannabis users in the nearly three years since the country became second to Uruguay to legalize cannabis.