Will pot smokers vote?

On Friday, Real Time with Bill Maher host Bill Maher praised President Joe Biden for granting presidential pardons to those incarcerated at the federal level for minor marijuana possession offenses. The wrap quoted Maher as saying the president made a wise choice because marijuana users are also voting.

Maher serves on the advisory boards of NORML and the Marijuana Policy Project, holds a California State Medical Marijuana Card and has been an open user of cannabis for more than 20 years. He has also been a vocal advocate of changing cannabis legislation.

“That’s incredibly smart because a lot of people in this country — I don’t know who they are, I don’t know any of them — smoke marijuana and vote. Though not on the right day “They’re finally arriving,” Maher said jokingly.

He noted that despite some saying Biden was too old to serve as president, it was he who made that crucial decision.

“Yeah. the old president. Joe doesn’t actually know anything about marijuana so credit goes to him. He thinks THC is the one who picked the classic movies,” Maher joked.

Later in the show, Maher spoke to former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who opposed cannabis decriminalization during his tenure.

BIDEN’S ACTION

On Thursday, Biden said he had pardoned all Americans with green cards and citizens found guilty of federal marijuana possession. (It refers to those who have not been accused of intent to distribute.) At least 6,000 people could potentially be affected. He also called on state governors to take the same action on those found guilty at the state level.

He even went so far as to direct Attorney General Merrick Garland and Health Secretary Xavier Becerra to begin the process of considering how marijuana is scheduled under federal laws. Cannabis has been classified as a Schedule 1 drug by the federal government, meaning it has no accepted medical uses and is dangerously addictive. Unlike fentanyl, which is a Schedule II drug, cannabis is now considered to be on the same schedule as heroin.

MAHER ABOUT CANNABIS

Maher in 2015 appealed to President Obama to pardon those jailed for minor marijuana offenses, much like President Biden just did. He argued that all three of those previous presidents — Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush — admitted to smoking marijuana, as did Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, and Ted Cruz.

Maher and former Attorney General Eric Holder discussed legalizing marijuana in August of this year, with Maher making a startling statement.

Maher began with a question from the audience as to why US President Joe Biden is not pushing for cannabis legalization at the federal level.

Holder noted that he thinks legalizing cannabis at the federal level is probably something we should do, given that it would have significant political benefit and also reflect reality. You know that people use cannabis and that it is legalized in every state. Added holder.

Holder explained that the country’s drug policy just needs to adjust to the reality of cannabis use. He added that marijuana being still a Schedule 1 drug is really ridiculous.

I believe Republicans will eventually take control of the issue. For example, John Boehner currently works for a cannabis company, Maher added. Republicans obviously smoke a lot of marijuana, so it could be one of those freedom-related issues.

Maher said Republicans opposed a bill passed by the House of Representatives because they felt it contained too much material related to justice. When participating in the legal cannabis sector, it makes sense to prioritize those affected by the war on drugs. This appears to be a deal-breaker for Republicans, he claimed.

What do you want, half a loaf? If they say, “Okay, no justice,” is it preferable to have the law made or changed, or is it preferable to stand up for justice? Maher asked.

In order to deal with our current socio-economic reality, it is preferable to change the law,” chimed in Holder. Try to deal with it as fairly as possible. However, I don’t want to hold back the change I feel is necessary for justice’s sake.

WHAT EXACTLY DO REPUBLICANS WANT

There are likely certain marijuana legalization issues that Republicans disagree on, but some of them openly support them provided certain conditions are met.

For example, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who is credited as one of the Republican Party leaders for removing marijuana from the Federally Prohibited Substances List, voted against the MORE Act. Why?

“The MORE Act is forcing South Carolina residents and residents of other states to implement a system they do not want. Mace explained that her own measure, the States Reform Act, takes the federal government out of the picture and, in contrast, gives the states more autonomy.

The States Reform Act, which she introduced alone, was rejected in November 2021 in 12 committees and seven subcommittees without a hearing. Ted Cruz, James Lankford, Rick Scott and other Republican senators explained in their respective speeches why they oppose reform. The Republican Party’s popularity, meanwhile, is rising despite opposition, and Rep. Mace and scores of other local Republicans have proposed a bill legalizing marijuana.

FINAL EFFECT

Bill Maher is one of the many American citizens who will be excited by President Joe Biden’s statement, as he is a cannabis enthusiast himself. Praising President Biden’s decision and saying weed smokers will also be showing up to vote could mean Maher views the statement as campaign strategy, as it will not only appeal to cannabis smokers, but also the families of those jailed for cannabis -related offences.

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