Elizabeth Warren Says 'It Shouldn't Be That Hard' To Legalize Marijuana

By Andrew Sanford | Politics | February 6, 2024 |

By Andrew Sanford | Politics | February 6, 2024 |

I’ve bought weed from some sketchy people. One guy was named Crisis (because if you were out of weed, it was one). He was about six foot five, had a big scar on his face, and would adorn his dime bags with Tweetie Bird stickers. Another guy was named G. He was always late. If my parents knew I was standing on a street corner in Bed Stuy at 11 PM waiting for G, who was regularly over an hour late, they would have freaked out. It was dangerous and stupid, just like the marijuana laws that caused it.

Buying weed should be as easy as going to the store and picking up a six-pack. In some places, that’s how it is. Legalization in some states has led to easier, safer access. It would be hard to find a dispensary in my hometown in Massachusetts. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it keeps people from dealing with people who are under threat of arrest if caught. Marijuana arrests have ruined people’s lives because the DEA sees weed the same way it sees heroin. There is a way around this, though!

Elizabeth Warren recently sat down with Stephen Colbert. I’m a big fan of Warren. She’s smart, quick, and has no problem going into detail about what she’s talking about. There is rarely double talk from her. She’s got a well-informed message, and she’s sticking to it. Her current crusade involves asking the DEA to de-schedule marijuana. It’s something the administration could do instead of going to Congress, which Warren rightfully points out to be a lost cause.

A move like this would remove a lot of the risk from purchasing marijuana. As Warren says, there’s still personal choice. Everyone doesn’t have to run out and grab a Dutch. But de-scheduling would fuel federal legalization and fix a lot of the problems caused by it still being illegal on a federal level. It would also allow the drug to be studied more thoroughly.

It’s the 21st century. Things like Reefer Madness should be a thing of the past. Instead, half of the country is still clinging to outdated stigmas. It’s what the government has been feeding them for as long as they’ve been alive. If they were told instead that weed wasn’t scary, they’d likely fall right in line. For once, can we please just listen to Elizabeth Warren?