New Jersey Senator Cory Booker is calling for marijuana legalization amid the coronavirus. The senator on Thursday responded to a question submitted on Facebook, with a user asking why Congress has failed to act on legalization legislation at a time when states are largely regarding the industry as necessary and allowing marijuana companies to operate during the pandemic.
“I cannot tell you much I agree with you, Tom,” Booker responded. “There are people throughout this country right now who have PTSD from their military service, children falling into seizures with things like Dravet Syndrome, not able to access this drug—this lifesaving drug for some people. Enough is enough.”
“We need to end this federal prohibition,” said Booker.
Booker is the ssponsor of the Marijuana Justice Act, which would federally deschedule cannabis while promoting social equity through provisions such as expungements for prior marijuana convictions.
“It’s something I’m going to fight for. This hypocrisy—these drug laws that we have that are archaic and cruel—they must end,” he said. “I’m going to fight to make sure right now that this ugliness is over in our country and we do the right thing on the federal level. And our momentum is building by the way.”
Booker ran on a pro-legalization agenda in the 2020 Democratic presidential race but dropped out in January.
