Monday , March 18 2024
Home / World Marijuana News / Bernie Sanders Vows to Legalize Marijuana (If Elected President)

Bernie Sanders Vows to Legalize Marijuana (If Elected President)

Bernie Marijuana

Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders just released his plan to legalize marijuana within his first 100 days in office (should he be elected president). He’s vowed to use executive powers to make it happen.

Sanders would limit the industry’s size and scope, Vox reported.

In the plan, Sanders notes that the attorney general would be instructed to declassify marijuana, completely removing it from the Controlled Substances Act. Congress would be pressured to permanently legalize marijuana.

His plan also includes expunging previous marijuana convictions. A clemency board would be formed to expunge certain federal convictions and provide some with “early relief.”

Marijuana tax revenues would be used to create a $20 billion grant program for persons of color that are discriminated against when it comes to accessing funding to start businesses. An additional $10 billion grant program would be started for businesses that are owned at least 51% by those that have been convicted of, or arrested for, marijuana crimes as well as those in disproportionately impacted areas.

Sanders doesn’t want to see the marijuana industry become the next Big Tobacco, so his plan outlines how that would be prevented. Marijuana businesses would be urged to be nonprofit organizations. Any product or labeling that would entice or target young people would be banned. Any business that produces cancer-causing products or those that use deceptive marketing practices would be banned from entering the marijuana industry. Standards for the industry would also be established.

But first things first – Sanders will need to get elected as president before he can implement federal marijuana legalization.