Rep. Joe Kennedy III Calls for Federal Cannabis Legalization

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]M[/dropcap]assachusetts Congressman Joe Kennedy III called to end the federal prohibition of cannabis in a Nov. 20 op-ed published by The Boston Globe’s STAT. Kennedy—who is one of the Democratic party’s rising stars—was initially reluctant to support recreational cannabis, but is now fully backing cannabis legalization.

“One thing is clear to me,” Kennedy wrote. “Our federal policy on marijuana is badly broken, benefiting neither the elderly man suffering from cancer whom marijuana may help nor the young woman prone to substance use disorder whom it may harm. The patchwork of inconsistent state laws compounds the dysfunction. Our federal government has ceded its responsibility—and authority—to thoughtfully regulate marijuana.”

Kennedy addressed his reluctance to embrace legalization, and factors like adolescent addiction problems were among his initial concerns. But after considering all factors, he decided that legalization is the best course to follow at this point.

Kennedy’s change of heart on recreational cannabis prompted him to write his own op-ed clearing up any misconceptions on the matter. Kennedy chose the first day of recreational sales in Massachusetts as the day of his publication.

From health care to criminal justice, the failures of our nation’s prohibition on marijuana can be seen in every corner of our society. Status quo isn’t working & states aren’t turning back. It’s time to legalize & regulate marijuana at the federal level. Read my @STATnews op/ed: https://t.co/q5ZHzYpRwz

— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) November 20, 2018

Sweeping reform runs in his bloodline. Kennedy’s grandfather Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in June 1968, less than five years after RFK’s brother John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Of course, both were instrumental in the civil rights movement, and the Kennedy family embodies the highest ideals of American liberalism. Most recently Kennedy highlighted the urgent need to revise the Controlled Substances Act to reflect the majority of states that have enacted medical or recreational cannabis laws.