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Former Vice President Joe Biden, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, gives a speech on July 11, 2019 in New York City. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Critics of former Vice President Joe Biden attacked remarks made by the Democrat Saturday in Las Vegas that appeared to endorse the long-discredited myth that marijuana is a gateway drug.
"Perpetuating unsubstantiated theories like this hurts people," said attorney and activist Eliza Orlins.
Biden, one of the top contenders for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, made the comments at a town hall in Las Vegas.
"The truth of the matter is, there's not nearly been enough evidence that has been acquired as to whether or not it is a gateway drug," said Biden, who added he'd want to know more about the science before committing to full legalization of the plant.
"The gateway drug thing is just not a serious opinion in 2019," tweeted The Atlantic's Adam Serwer.
\u201cThe gateway drug thing is just not a serious opinion in 2019.\u201d— Adam Serwer \ud83c\udf5d (@Adam Serwer \ud83c\udf5d) 1574081578
Research since at least 2002 has disproven the longstanding myth that marijuana is a gateway to other drugs.
"It is not a question anymore," said attorney Scott Hechinger, who added that the cost of incarceration is well known.
\u201cThere are actual studies. It is not a question anymore. Marijuana is not a \u201cgateway drug.\u201d But the impact of criminalization *is* known. It drives broken windows policing & devastates Black & brown communities.\u201d— Scott Hechinger (@Scott Hechinger) 1574053930
As The Washington Postreported, Biden's remarks Saturday are in step with his decades-long career in Washington as a senator from Delaware:
Throughout most of his legislative career, Biden championed tough criminal penalties for possession, including in the 1994 crime bill, which many critics have since linked to a rapid rise in mass incarceration and mass policing. Biden, who oversaw the Senate Judiciary Committee at the time, was one of the bill's key authors, so much so that he later took to calling it the "1994 Biden Crime Bill."
Even as he's shifted his stance on harsh penalties for nonviolent drug crimes, Biden has a long record of skepticism toward full marijuana legalization.
"Finger firmly on the pulse of 1994," author A. R. Moxon tweeted wryly of Biden.
By contrast, Biden's top-tier opponents in the 2020 primary Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), as well as candidate Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), have advocated for legalization of marijuana at the federal level.
"Too many lives were ruined due to the disastrous criminalization of marijuana," Sanders said on October 24 upon release of his plan.
A Thursday poll from Pew Research showed that 78% of Democrats believe marijuana should be legalized. Two-thirds of all Americans support legalization.
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
Critics of former Vice President Joe Biden attacked remarks made by the Democrat Saturday in Las Vegas that appeared to endorse the long-discredited myth that marijuana is a gateway drug.
"Perpetuating unsubstantiated theories like this hurts people," said attorney and activist Eliza Orlins.
Biden, one of the top contenders for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, made the comments at a town hall in Las Vegas.
"The truth of the matter is, there's not nearly been enough evidence that has been acquired as to whether or not it is a gateway drug," said Biden, who added he'd want to know more about the science before committing to full legalization of the plant.
"The gateway drug thing is just not a serious opinion in 2019," tweeted The Atlantic's Adam Serwer.
\u201cThe gateway drug thing is just not a serious opinion in 2019.\u201d— Adam Serwer \ud83c\udf5d (@Adam Serwer \ud83c\udf5d) 1574081578
Research since at least 2002 has disproven the longstanding myth that marijuana is a gateway to other drugs.
"It is not a question anymore," said attorney Scott Hechinger, who added that the cost of incarceration is well known.
\u201cThere are actual studies. It is not a question anymore. Marijuana is not a \u201cgateway drug.\u201d But the impact of criminalization *is* known. It drives broken windows policing & devastates Black & brown communities.\u201d— Scott Hechinger (@Scott Hechinger) 1574053930
As The Washington Postreported, Biden's remarks Saturday are in step with his decades-long career in Washington as a senator from Delaware:
Throughout most of his legislative career, Biden championed tough criminal penalties for possession, including in the 1994 crime bill, which many critics have since linked to a rapid rise in mass incarceration and mass policing. Biden, who oversaw the Senate Judiciary Committee at the time, was one of the bill's key authors, so much so that he later took to calling it the "1994 Biden Crime Bill."
Even as he's shifted his stance on harsh penalties for nonviolent drug crimes, Biden has a long record of skepticism toward full marijuana legalization.
"Finger firmly on the pulse of 1994," author A. R. Moxon tweeted wryly of Biden.
By contrast, Biden's top-tier opponents in the 2020 primary Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), as well as candidate Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), have advocated for legalization of marijuana at the federal level.
"Too many lives were ruined due to the disastrous criminalization of marijuana," Sanders said on October 24 upon release of his plan.
A Thursday poll from Pew Research showed that 78% of Democrats believe marijuana should be legalized. Two-thirds of all Americans support legalization.
Critics of former Vice President Joe Biden attacked remarks made by the Democrat Saturday in Las Vegas that appeared to endorse the long-discredited myth that marijuana is a gateway drug.
"Perpetuating unsubstantiated theories like this hurts people," said attorney and activist Eliza Orlins.
Biden, one of the top contenders for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, made the comments at a town hall in Las Vegas.
"The truth of the matter is, there's not nearly been enough evidence that has been acquired as to whether or not it is a gateway drug," said Biden, who added he'd want to know more about the science before committing to full legalization of the plant.
"The gateway drug thing is just not a serious opinion in 2019," tweeted The Atlantic's Adam Serwer.
\u201cThe gateway drug thing is just not a serious opinion in 2019.\u201d— Adam Serwer \ud83c\udf5d (@Adam Serwer \ud83c\udf5d) 1574081578
Research since at least 2002 has disproven the longstanding myth that marijuana is a gateway to other drugs.
"It is not a question anymore," said attorney Scott Hechinger, who added that the cost of incarceration is well known.
\u201cThere are actual studies. It is not a question anymore. Marijuana is not a \u201cgateway drug.\u201d But the impact of criminalization *is* known. It drives broken windows policing & devastates Black & brown communities.\u201d— Scott Hechinger (@Scott Hechinger) 1574053930
As The Washington Postreported, Biden's remarks Saturday are in step with his decades-long career in Washington as a senator from Delaware:
Throughout most of his legislative career, Biden championed tough criminal penalties for possession, including in the 1994 crime bill, which many critics have since linked to a rapid rise in mass incarceration and mass policing. Biden, who oversaw the Senate Judiciary Committee at the time, was one of the bill's key authors, so much so that he later took to calling it the "1994 Biden Crime Bill."
Even as he's shifted his stance on harsh penalties for nonviolent drug crimes, Biden has a long record of skepticism toward full marijuana legalization.
"Finger firmly on the pulse of 1994," author A. R. Moxon tweeted wryly of Biden.
By contrast, Biden's top-tier opponents in the 2020 primary Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), as well as candidate Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), have advocated for legalization of marijuana at the federal level.
"Too many lives were ruined due to the disastrous criminalization of marijuana," Sanders said on October 24 upon release of his plan.
A Thursday poll from Pew Research showed that 78% of Democrats believe marijuana should be legalized. Two-thirds of all Americans support legalization.