NEW: The cannabis industry and pot smokers are counting on the Democratic Senate for federal legalization but the filibuster is not the only obstacle to overcome by @leonardkl ($) @thisisinsider businessinsider.com/marijuana-lega…
The cannabis industry has had lots to be excited about this year regarding prospects for federal legalization of the drug. Its stocks soared in February after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced he'd prioritize ending the federal prohibition on cannabis.
That followed prior gains in response to Joe Biden's presidential win and Democrats gaining a Senate majority after the January 5 Georgia runoffs.
But @thisisinsider interviews with several senators on Capitol Hill show Democrats aren't united on the issue, and the prospect of decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level this Congress isn't as high as the industry envisions.
6 Democratic senators said they were leaning against federal legalization or were non-committal.
"I personally am not somebody that thinks it should be legalized," said Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat. "But in the end, the states are usually ahead of us on issues and this is probably one they are ahead of us on."
Montana approved adult use of cannabis through a ballot measure in the November elections, and Tester said the Senate "ought to have a debate about it."
New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: "Sadly I think there are real concerns about whether marijuana is an entry-level drug for some people and therefore I would like to see more data on how this is working before moving forward nationally."
Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, said he was "all for" medical marijuana but added he hasn't "gotten there yet" on legalizing the drug for recreational use.
"I'm still looking at everything," he added but declined to explain the reason for his reservations.
"I'm still looking at everything," he added but declined to explain the reason for his reservations.
The lone vocal R proponent of decriminalization, Sen. Rand Paul, said he's puzzled Ds hadn't reached out, calling himself "one of the possible gets." He doesn't support taxes & regs to products as Ds have proposed. "I'm open to discussion but so far nobody has called," he said.
Subscribe to @thisisinsider for the full report from @leonardkl on the latest from DC on the pot legalization debate: businessinsider.com/marijuana-lega…
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