Pot And Politics: 13 Of The Most Outspoken Pro-Weed Politicians

Cannabis legalization is gaining steam.

More and more politicians are getting on board.

But some politicians have been on board for a long time.

The most outspoken pro-weed politicians have been working tirelessly to advance legalization for years, even decades.

They are the people we have to thank for the progress made so far. And they laid the foundation for future progress.

So which politicians have done the most to advance legalization efforts? Keep reading to find out.

 

Pro-Cannabis Politicians

Are you hoping to see weed legalized in your lifetime? I know I am! And people like the following politicians are the ones who will make it happen.

 

Barack Obama

Barack Obama has time and again been clear about his pro-weed stand. In 2014, he said that marijuana was less dangerous than alcohol ‘in terms of its impact on the individual consumer’.

He has also openly admitted to being an avid weed smoker in his youth. In 2009, his administration promised not to fight state-level marijuana laws, as long as the local dispensaries adhered to the state regulations.

 

Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders has always been pro-legalizing marijuana, although he is ‘not a fan of drugs and alcohol’. On his official website, he promises not to turn marijuana into Big Tobacco. Instead, he wants to use it to create jobs and increase local communities’ economic growth and prosperity.

 

Jared Polis

In this article, the Colorado Sun described Governor-elect Jared Polis as the ‘first pot governor in America’. Polis, a Democrat, has always shown long-standing support for cannabis legalization.

In fact, courting cannabis voters was part of Polis’s 2018 election strategy, which made him popular as the nation’s most pot-friendly politician. Polis also held fundraisers within the cannabis industry and conducted tours at hemp research facilities as part of his campaign trail.

 

Jimmy Carter

At 99, ex-President Jimmy Carter is the oldest living US president. In 1973, he passed the cannabis decriminalization law in the state of Oregon. He also openly praised the states where the drug is legal. In 1977, in an address to Congress, President Carter said the following:

“Penalties against possession of a drug should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself, and where they are, they should be changed. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against possession of marijuana in private for personal use.”

 

Elizabeth Warren

Elizabeth Warren – a progressive Democrat – calls for a just and equitable cannabis industry. On her website, she has said:

“I support the legalization of marijuana in any nation that wishes to do so and fully support our neighbors exercising their sovereignty when it comes to their internal drug policy. Right now, it is a Schedule I drug, which means it is scheduled right up with heroin and cocaine. These are way more dangerous than marijuana.”

On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Ms. Warren said that it is time to legalize marijuana nationwide and join the 21st Century: it should not be a hard thing to do. She has long fought to reform the marijuana policy and wants justice for individuals who have been jailed for possession.

 

Earl Blumenauer

Congressman Earl Blumenauer is the founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Cannabis Caucus. This is a forum created to establish a rational approach to cannabis reform.

Blumenauer has also admitted to being supportive of ending marijuana prohibition for more than 40 years, although he has never used it himself. The congressman has also called for the updating of federal marijuana policies.

 

Joe Biden

The US President clearly states that ‘no one should be jailed for possession or use of marijuana’. He believes that this unfair incarceration has harmed many people, because their criminal records hamper them from getting housing, employment, and educational opportunities.

President Biden also feels that black and brown people are usually jailed at disproportionate rates for possession and use of marijuana, although white people use it at similar rates. Here is his detailed statement on marijuana policy reforms.

 

Alex Padilla

Alex Padilla (D-CA) has always called for the legalization, taxation, regulation, and decriminalization of cannabis. He facilitated the legalization of recreational marijuana use by licensing cannabis businesses and assisting medical cannabis companies. He even promoted these efforts with comedian Cheech Marin in a public service announcement.

As a state senator, Padilla has also supported employment protections for medical cannabis patients and opposed DEA raids on cannabis companies. He has backed the federal MORE (Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement) Act and advocated for easy access for veterans to medical cannabis through the VA.

Padilla has often pushed for the inclusion of the SAFE (Secure and Fair Enforcement) Banking Act in congressional legislation to allow cannabis businesses access to banking services.

 

John Hickenlooper

Governor John Hickenlooper initially criticized Colorado’s legalization of cannabis as reckless. However, his stance evolved as he observed the functioning of the state’s marijuana industry.

He later acknowledged that legal weed was less problematic than anticipated, stating that it was “not as vexing as we thought it was going to be.” Hickenlooper expressed confidence in Colorado’s ability to establish and maintain a well-regulated cannabis system that could yield positive outcomes.

 

Kirsten Gillibrand

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has been a vocal advocate for cannabis legalization. In January 2024, she called for the complete de-scheduling of marijuana, urging the DEA to take action.

On X, Gillibrand emphasized the importance of federal legalization in tweets, stating that even in states where marijuana is legalized or decriminalized, federal legalization is essential.

 

Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee has been a long-time advocate of cannabis reforms. She is even the Co-Chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, which has been fighting hard to stop the unfair war on drugs. Barbara Lee believes that the war has been racist, classist, and inequitable.

She has also lived in states like California and experienced first-hand the effects of this classism and racism. Lee has been trying to undo the damage this war on drugs has done to certain communities. In 2019, she introduced a bill called the Marijuana Justice Act to make marijuana legal at the federal level and clear up past marijuana crimes.

 

Dana Rohrabacher

After losing the mid-term elections in 2018, Dana Rohrabacher spoke about his achievements in Congress, particularly in marijuana reforms. He emphasized that marijuana is not just associated with hippies anymore, but is proven to provide significant health benefits to people suffering from various illnesses.

 

David Joyce

US Representative Dave Joyce announced his support for the legalization of recreational marijuana use in Ohio through a ballot measure in August 2023.

As a co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus and with experience as both a prosecutor and a public defender, Joyce recognized that law enforcement resources could be better used than pursuing low-level possession charges. This perspective led him to advocate for sensible reforms in Congress regarding cannabis laws.

 

Politicians For The Legalization Of Marijuana: Final Thoughts

All of the above politicians have done a lot to further efforts to legalize cannabis, both at the state level and at the federal level. We still have aways to go, but with people like these fighting the good fight, we will get there.

I know there are plenty of other politicians who have also made huge pro-weed contributions. If there are any you feel should be on this list, please feel free to let me know in a comment below.