Federally decriminalizing marijuana “probably makes sense,” the second-ranking Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives said in an interview released Thursday.
Rep. Steny Hoyer, Maryland Democrat and House minority whip, made the remark during a recent conversation with the publisher of TheBayNet, a regional news site.
“Every time it’s on the ballot, almost invariably it wins,” Mr. Hoyer said on the subject of marijuana legalization. “So it’s obvious that the people believe that it ought to be made … not an illegal or criminal product to use.
“I think that probably makes sense,” he said. “Although, I will tell you that I have not been at the forefront of that effort.”
Maryland legalized marijuana for medical purposes in 2013, making it one of 31 states with laws in place permitting the plant despite the U.S. government’s blanket prohibition on pot. Congressional efforts underway could potentially culminate in federally legalizing marijuana, however, especially if Democrats gain control in the House and Senate as a result of the upcoming November midterm elections.
“I support marijuana use for medical purposes, because I believe, and I’ve talked to doctors, it does have an ameliorating effect on pain and on other circumstances that may be useful for patients,” Mr. Hoyer told the news site.
“For recreational use — I’m not so sure that it’s not a gateway drug to using other drugs,” the congressman continued. “But having said that, it’s obvious the public thinks that we ought to treat it in a much less criminal mode and research it.”
Marijuana is currently categorized as a Schedule 1 substance under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act, making the plant subject to the same federal rules and regulations as narcotics including heroin and LSD. The Obama administration advised federal prosecutors against pursuing marijuana convictions in states that have legalized the plant for medical or recreational purposes, but President Trump’s attorney general rescinded those policies in 2017, prompting complaints at the times from the House’s top Democrat.
“Congress must now take action to ensure that state law is respected, and that Americans who legally use marijuana are not subject to federal prosecution,” Rep. Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat and House minority leader, said at the time.
In the Senate, meanwhile, Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, introduced legislation in June that would federally decriminalize marijuana by removing it entirely from the government’s list of controlled substances.
More recently, the House Judiciary Committee passed a bipartisan supported bill this month aimed at significantly increasing the nation’s supply of science-grade weed by tripling the number of federally-approved domestic marijuana growers from one to three, effectively countering existing restrictions on researching the plant made possible by its status as a Schedule 1 substance.
“While there are many varying opinions on the issue of marijuana, one thing we all can agree on is that we need qualified researchers to study the science to determine if there are any potential medicinal benefits to chemicals derived from cannabis,” said Rep. Bob Goodlatte, Virginia Republican and the Judiciary Committee’s chairman.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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