It turns out that the Cheech & Chong Caucus vote may be in play after all.
Former President Donald Trump recently announced his support for legalizing small amounts of recreational marijuana, a departure from some of his earlier statements on the topic. What makes this interesting is that it may actually help his chances of winning three key swing states.
Donald Trump shocked political observers last week when he appeared to change his position on legalizing marijuana.
But, it could become a political jackpot.
New surveys suggest voters in the “Blue Wall” states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania could be swayed by Trump’s “green” opinion on cannabis.
The Ragnar Research Group polling of 1,000 likely voters between Aug. 18 and Aug. 21 shows broad support for cannabis legalization and very little political downside for Trump in embracing it.
Setting aside the whole “pot bad vs. pot good” argument for the moment, let’s take a look at the timing of this announcement.
There is already an effort afoot in Congress to reschedule cannabis from a Schedule 1 controlled substance, like LSD and most opiates, to a Schedule 3 substance, which includes such things as anabolic steroids and ketamine. Add to that the fact that Donald Trump has come out in favor of a Florida ballot measure legalizing small amounts of recreational marijuana.
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There are a good number of votes in play here, according to that Ragnar Research Group poll. But is it enough to flip a state that’s on the fence?
A whopping 82% of voters in the three Blue Wall states, including 77% of the so-called “persuadable voters” who will decide the election, oppose the current Schedule I designation for cannabis, which lumps it in with the most dangerous drugs.
But just because these voters object to the current legal framework doesn’t mean that they want the drug to be available without restriction. Nearly 80% of voters, and 73% of those who are persuadable support bans on recreational marijuana consumption for those under the age of 21.
Granted, watching Donald Trump’s progression through campaigns since 2016 indicates he’s not one to wet a finger and stick it up to see which way the wind is blowing before making a statement. That is more Kamala Harris’ cup of tea.
What remains to be seen is whether Donald Trump would, as president, sign off on rescheduling cannabis. The complicating issue with cannabis legalization in the states is the Schedule 1 designation, which means that dispensaries that are legal within their states (such as here in Alaska) are dealing with a product that is proscribed at the federal level, making this a cash-only proposition and complicates the support these state-legal businesses can receive with regards to banking.
The trend as far as marijuana goes is certainly leaning toward legalization. Thirty-eight states have legalized marijuana for medical use, and 24 states for recreational use. As a 10th Amendment issue, it seems clear that the states should have the primary role in determining this, as the Constitution is mute on the subject of pharmaceuticals and medicinal substances. Donald Trump may well, in this instance, be bowing to the inevitable.
We’ll see what happens after the election.
