Presidential Candidate Amy Klobuchar Supports Cannabis Legalization

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]O[/dropcap]n Friday, presidential candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar said that she supports cannabis legalization, ending any remaining speculation as to where she now stands on the issue. As a former prosecutor, Klobuchar laid down the letter of the law when overseeing cannabis-related incidents. Her “tough on crime” stance earned her an initial D grade from NORML, but her evolving stance caused the organization to upgrade her grade to a B.

“I support the legalization of marijuana and believe that states should have the right to determine the best approach to marijuana within their borders,” the Minnesota-based senator stated. Klobuchar’s home state of Minnesota will vote on a recreational cannabis referendum this year.

UPDATE from @amyklobuchar: “I support the legalization of marijuana and believe that states should have the right to determine the best approach to marijuana within their borders.” https://t.co/MxAi9XOUwz

— Jackie Alemany (@JaxAlemany) February 22, 2019

Klobuchar is a cosponsor of S. 3032, the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) Act, which seeks to amend the Controlled Substance Act to protect states with legal cannabis from federal intervention. She also supports S. 1276 which would expand cannabidiol (CBD) research, S. 1008 which would exclude CBD from the Controlled Substances List, and S. 1803 which would improve cannabis research.

Klobuchar joins an already-long list of Democratic candidates that support cannabis legalization. That list includes Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Klobuchar’s stance is comparable to Sen. Harris’ stance, as both formerly served as strict prosecutors, but grew to accept and support legal cannabis. Former New York City Mayor and possible presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg, on the other hand, called cannabis legalization “perhaps the stupidest thing anybody has ever done.”

Compared to her counterparts in the Democratic presidential field, Klobuchar is seen as a centrist.  But with cannabis legalization becoming more mainstream among presidential platforms across the board, she now supports legalizing cannabis at the federal level.