Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday called on the federal government to move “as quickly as possible” to change the way it officially classifies marijuana, saying that “nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed.”

“I cannot emphasize enough that they need to get to it as quickly as possible,” Harris said. “We need to have a resolution based on their findings and their assessment. This issue is stark when one considers the fact that on the schedule currently, marijuana is considered as dangerous as heroin ― as dangerous as heroin ― and more dangerous than fentanyl, which is absurd, not to mention patently unfair.”

Marijuana is currently listed as a Schedule 1 drug by the Drug Enforcement Administration. That classification designates it one of the most dangerous drugs possible, with no medicinal uses. Other substances in the same category include heroin, ecstasy and LSD. Marijuana advocates have been pushing for years for the federal government to either reschedule marijuana to a different category or deschedule it entirely.

  • @Ensign_Crab
    link
    English
    08 months ago

    Stop expecting me to believe that politicians’ lies are progress just because you believe them.

    It’s not an accomplishment until it’s accomplished.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      2
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      Just because you don’t understand the power of normalized discourse doesn’t mean I have some obligation to you.

      I’m just telling you how reality works.

      Edit im proud to hear more discussion of climate, LGBT, drug decrim and other issues, at increasingly public and increasingly executive levels.

      • @Ensign_Crab
        link
        English
        08 months ago

        I know the difference between hot air and accomplishments. You’re not going to gaslight me into accepting the former as the latter. All you’re doing is convincing me that you prefer words to accomplishments.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          28 months ago

          50 years ago a woman, non-white politician wouldn’t have been a common thing. Part of how we got to where we are today is via public, popularized discourse.

          The same occurs in this article and the speech that lead to it.

          It doesn’t mean the world is changing in an active sense, but it does mean the conversation is happening. This is part of the power of executive office.

          I’m sorry you had to learn about this from me.

          • @Ensign_Crab
            link
            English
            -18 months ago

            We lost roe because we only talked about codifying it.

              • @Ensign_Crab
                link
                English
                -18 months ago

                We got roe because we had a court willing to do it.

                We don’t anymore. Accepting talk instead of accomplishments has lost us ground. And since all Democrats do is talk, that loss is permanent.

                • @[email protected]
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  38 months ago

                  You’re missing the point.

                  The point, for your roe v Wade example is that at one point speaking of abortion in public, let alone politically was unthinkable. Due to some brave people, and eventually people in political office, SPEAKING ABOUT the issue made it viable.

                  Of course there are many other factors, and many other brave and impactful people.

                  But speech is political action, no question.

                  But it’s not enough, on it’s own.

                  • @Ensign_Crab
                    link
                    English
                    -18 months ago

                    And if we accept talk as accomplished fact, we don’t move beyond talk.

                    Meanwhile, Republicans act while we content ourselves with talk. And we lose Roe.

                    And we’ll keep only talking about ending the racist drug war and never actually ending it.