Why Do GOP Lawmakers Still Oppose Legalizing Weed?

[AZProgressive]

Today is 4/20, the holiday for stoners and weed enthusiasts around the world. Legalizing marijuana is no longer a fringe issue championed mainly by those partaking in the day’s festivities either. Over the past two decades, we’ve seen a remarkable rise in support for legalization. Polls over the past year from Civiqs, Quinnipiac and Gallup show that roughly 7 in 10 American adults think the use of cannabis should be legal, double the share who thought so 20 years ago.

In fact, a majority of registered voters in all 50 states now favor making cannabis legal, according to state-level polling data from Civiqs. Support ranges from a low of 52 percent in North Dakota to a high of 81 percent in Vermont and Washington.

(Snip)

GOP lawmakers’ ongoing opposition to legalization is clearly at odds with the viewpoints of many Americans, as most voters now support legalizing marijuana for recreational use. But congressional Republicans are also increasingly out of step with their own rank-and-file members, as it’s Republicans disproportionately driving the most recent uptick in support for legalizing marijuana, according to polling from Civiqs.

(Snip)

Regardless of the reasons, though, Democrats would be wise to make congressional Republicans’ opposition to marijuana legalization an issue in the upcoming midterm elections. As I noted two years ago, not only is legalization popular across the political spectrum, but political science research shows that it’s also one of the more important issues to Democrats, Republicans and independents. Every 4/20, in fact, it becomes more and more apparent that marijuana legalization is a winning political issue.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-do-gop-lawmakers-still-oppose-legalizing-weed/?ex_cid=story-twitter&cid=social_twitter_abcnp

[Hoyt]

1. Unfortunately, not sure it's just some GOPers. There are Dems in opposition too.

[Phoenix61]

2. It's overwhelmingly popular with Dems and young people.

“Nearly two-thirds of conservative and moderate Democrats (63%) say marijuana should be legal for medical and recreational use. An overwhelming majority of liberal Democrats (82%) say the same.”

“ A 63% majority of Republicans ages 18 to 29 favor making marijuana legal for recreational and medical use,”
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/16/americans-overwhelmingly-say-marijuana-should-be-legal-for-recreational-or-medical-use/

We need to push this hard.

[Hoyt]

13. I'm thinking of Congress people and Prez. But, yeah, people generally want it.

[AZProgressive]

14. 2 House Democrats voted against it 200 voted in favor

Not sure about the Senate but the Democratic leaders of the Senate seem supportive. You are correct about Biden but if it actually passed the Senate I think with the polling Biden would consider it but I doubt it would pass the Senate unless the filibuster was abolished.

[SoCalDavidS]

3. Because Democrats & Liberals For The Most Part Are In Favor Of It

ANY chance they get to "own the libs," they'll exploit.

I honestly don't think it goes any deeper than that.

[tirebiter]

4. No need to wait for anybody else.

California, Oregon and Washington for starters, have legal weed. The Left coast led the way. The politicians come around to it, or at least the taxes we raise for local issues. Two of my kids are employed in the business. We live the progressive enlightenment. We need no ones approval. Jerry Brown never endorsed it.

[brewens]

5. It's the eat shit factor. A middle finger right in the face of rednecks that still aren't over the

60's. It makes them feel like the hippies won and hurts their fee fee's.

[DFW]

6. My guess would be.....

If it were legal everywhere, the profits of the drug runners would fall to zero, and half their anonymous contributions would dry up.

[msongs]

7. afraid their rabid dogs might mellow out? nt

[Midnight Writer]

15. Exactly. It may turn their base into hippies.

By the way, the hippies were right. About everything.

[duforsure]

8. With easily the majority of Americans in favor of its legalization of MJ,

Democrats would be wise to publicize their position for legalization , and project who is against it. That group opposed is mostly Republicans, and some likely have private prison stocks. Profiting off of MJ, and more minorities being sent to prison for it is just another act of racism for profit. Its time that stops.

[Emile]

9. Follow the money!

[MichMan]

10. Perhaps after all the damage tobacco has caused to people's health

Legalizing another substance that is commonly ingested into the lungs by smoking isn't good for people's health either.

I was a daily user for 25 yrs until quitting completely 15 or so years ago. That was the major reason I decided to quit.

[AZProgressive]

11. There are many ways to use

Legalization leads to edibles which you can’t buy off the street unless the dealer got it from a dispensary.

I think nicotine from tobacco is more harmful not to mention addictive.

[PinkTiger]

17. Not true

Anybody can make edibles at home.
I do. And I make them for friends who can’t afford dispensary prices.
I also make capsules of decarbolyzed weed.
Very effective.

[Rincewind]

12. Because, they are against

anything that makes people happy.

[walkingman]

16. A lot of the pushback comes from religious groups. I think they

really want you to be as miserable as possible or otherwise they couldn't get you money or have someone to listen to their BS.

Another group are older Americans that have listened to the racially charged taboo of weed since the middle of the 20th century.

Another bunch is law enforcement - they depend on it for much of their very existence. the whole justice system is supported in a large part by prohibition of some sort and/or guns.

Regardless of what happens anywhere else I doubt that Texas will legalize recreational weed in my lifetime (72). Assholes.