Yo, listen up fam. Traditionally, the GOP has been straight-up hatin’ on expanded marijuana legalization. This dude Senator Mitch McConnell from Kentucky, reppin’ the R-KY crew, has been all proud of preventing the national movement. They party also be real quick to blame cannabis use for everything, like mass shootings and the fentanyl crisis. But check it, recently some Republican champions have emerged and it’s a bit mind-blowing.
The cannabis industry was holdin’ its breath when the Biden/Harris ticket got elected. Vice President Harris used to be a straight-up hater of the ganja, and we were straight-up scared about what would happen when they took office. But guess what? Nada happened. Despite Biden’s promise to help us out, it took him a whole three years just to consider rescheduling cannabis. And he ain’t even pushin’ Congress to support federal legalization, while Harris ain’t been seen anywhere near this issue.
In a surprise twist, my man Rep. James Comer from Kentucky, who’s the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, came out supportin’ the taxation and regulation of recreational cannabis. Ya see, Washington D.C., where all that political shiz goes down, has been beggin’ for statehood forever. But right now, they still got them federal peeps watchin’ over how parts of the city are run. Back in 2014, almost two-thirds of D.C. voters voted to legalize recreational marijuana in a ballot initiative. And my dude Comer is all about respectin’ the voters’ wishes.
But that ain’t all, my fam. Another Republican player named Rep. Dave Joyce from Ohio brought back the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) 2.0 Act, showin’ that Republicans ain’t playin’ when it comes to endin’ federal marijuana prohibition in states where it’s legal. And check this, it got support from some other heavy hitters like Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer from Oregon, Rep. Brian Mast from Florida, and even some Democrats like Rep. Earl Blumenauer from Oregon and Rep. Troy Carter from Louisiana. They ain’t just talkin’ about decriminalizin’ weed, they wanna set up a whole tax-and-regulate system for the cannabis industry on a federal level.
There’s also this badass chick named Rep. Nancy Mace from South Carolina who’s been leadin’ the charge for SAFE Banking and more. She been workin’ with folks on both sides of the aisle to support the cannabis industry.
But look, don’t get it twisted. This don’t mean the whole GOP is down with the ganja movement. Take Ohio for example, it’s a total mess right now with them Republicans tryna gut the recreational marijuana program. They claim voters were confused when a whopping 70% of ’em voted to pass it. They should take notes from Governor Ron DeSantis from Florida, who straight-up told Florida voters he don’t give a damn about that 70% vote for cannabis, ’cause he knows what’s best.
You know what they say, politics make strange bedfellows. Well, I guess marijuana be makin’ some odd cannabis buddies out here too.