Marijuana and other issues are at the forefront of the presidential election

It's strange – there's a lot of confusion in the elections this year, especially on the issue of marijuana

This presidential election will likely go down in history. Biden's departure, Kennedy's rise to prominence, artificial intelligence, and a nation in turmoil – this year has the public on edge. Few expect a clear outcome on election night, and there is great concern about the outcome. One of the main groups concerned is the cannabis industry, because the presidential election is about marijuana.

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While legalization is increasing at the state level and consumer use is increasing significantly, federal restrictions and chaos in New York and California caused the industry to collapse in 2022, and it has been struggling ever since. The Biden administration's last-minute push to pull off the 2020 campaign to support the industry has been a non-starter. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has delayed any action until December and is not guaranteeing any support from the industry in 2024. While all of this is bad news, the candidates' positions are fluid and evolving.

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In the Republican camp, the presidential candidate is indifferent to marijuana. Although he doesn't drink alcohol, he seems to be in tune with public opinion. He just expressed his support for the legalization of recreational marijuana in Florida (against his opponent DeSantis) and seems to be positive about the industry. But his team has made it clear that cannabis is bad. The Republican vice presidential candidate is not a fan, voted against it in the Senate and has not made his stance clear. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is taking the place of Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and is trying to be a cannabis killer.

The Republicans have an “extra man” positioned as a top politician in Robert Kennedy Jr. Kennedy is pro-marijuana and recently attacked the Democratic presidential candidate for her anti-marijuana stance.

On the Democratic team, Biden was very slow to support the industry. Aside from pardons that helped a few individuals, it took three years for him to take action. Thousands of small family-run businesses in the industry pinned their hopes on him but struggled to pay their bills. Biden's team, a seasoned politician, appears to have played a game of rescheduling to see if they could convince younger voters. When it wasn't necessary, the DEA left the cannabis industry in the lurch. Harris has gone from being an opponent of marijuana during her time in California to seemingly being open to greater legalization. She brought it up in her campaign, but it's not a major policy point.

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The only one with a clear record is Democratic Vice President Tim Walz. As governor of Minnesota, he was a clear advocate for legalizing cannabis. He seems to understand the medical benefits and economic value to states, how it can support small family farms, help veterans, and reduce crime. He seems to be the only true champion.