Top 10 Pro-Weed Politicians Who Support Legalization

Across the country, weed legalization campaigns have been an exercise in democracy. Using the power of their voices and power of the ballot, Americans exercising their right to vote have brought legal weed to their states. But voting yes for legal weed is only one part of the process. Citizens need the support of politicians to make legal weed a reality. Specifically, pro-weed lawmakers need to write good legal weed laws, and pro-weed politicians need to keep the momentum moving. These are the top ten politicians fighting for legalization right now.

10. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)

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A Democratic congressmen from Oregon, Earl Blumenauer is fighting for cannabis legalization as a founding member of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus.

If we can’t end the prohibition on cannabis, maybe we can make the laws we do have a little better. Or so thinks Blumenauer.

He’s working on reforming federal cannabis laws. Particularly, Blumenauer wants to loosen up federal taxes and regulations on state-legal cannabis businesses.

9. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

Kirsten Gillibrand is one of the top pro-weed politicians in the United States. In the first place, she is a very outspoken advocate for legalizing medical cannabis.

The Senator from New York is one of three Senators to introduce the CARERS Act. Importantly, CARERS would respect states’ medical marijuana laws.

8. Cory Booker (D-NJ)

An outspoken politician on a number of civil rights concerns, Cory Booker recognizes that cannabis legalization is a social justice issue.

And along with Kirsten Gillibrand, Booker is also backing the the CARERS Act. Among other things, the bill Booker is helping introduce would reduce criminal penalties for cannabis convictions.

7. Rand Paul (R-KY)

Officially a Republican from Kentucky, Rand Paul is better known for his extreme libertarian views.

Libertarians want to reduce the power and reach of federal government as much as possible, and Paul thinks the federal government’s intrusion into states’ legal weed programs is a big problem.

Along with Gillibrand and Booker, Paul is one of the politicians behind the CARERS Act. He especially wants to ensure veterans have access to safe medical cannabis.

6. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts is a major pro-weed politician who is fighting against the regime of prohibition.

For one, Warren is leading the effort to change the banking laws that are hamstringing legal marijuana businesses.

Furthermore, earlier this year Warren sent a letter to the federal regulators at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. In it, she asked them to come up with guidelines to help banks serve cannabis shops.

5. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

Jeff Merkley can boast that he was one of the first pro-weed politicians to take his view public.

Taking a political risk, the Democratic Senator from Oregon was once one of just two U.S. Senators who supported cannabis legalization.

He has also fought to change banking rules for cannabis businesses in his home state of Oregon, where recreational weed is legal.

4. Al Franken (D-MN)

Al Franken is no stranger to cannabis. Of course, in his time as a comedian and writer, he admitted to smoking weed, snorting coke, and even dropping LSD.

And now, as a senator, he’s pushing back against Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Teaming up with Rand Paul, Franken is working on a bill that would protect states with legal medical weed from any kind of federal interference.

3. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA)

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Orange Country Congressman Dana Rohrabacher may be a Republican, but his district lies in the Emerald Triangle in California, which produces most of the nation’s legal weed supply.

Like other pro-weed politicians, Rohrabacher is introducing legislation that would prevent the federal government from cracking down on California.

Crucially, Rohrabacher’s bill protects recreational and medical marijuana. Additionally, the bill would ensure that federal agencies are consistent with state law.

2. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Just a year ago, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski would have been nowhere near a list of pro-weed politicians.

But she changed her mind after heeding the wishes of her fellow Alaskans, who overwhelmingly support medical marijuana.

Today, however, Murkowski is fighting alongside other politicians fighting to protect medical weed from federal interference. And despite her personal feelings on the matter, she’s also trying to clarify recreational weed law in Alaska.

1. Mike Lee (R-UT)

Republican Senator Mike Lee deserves his slot on this list of the top 10 politicians supporting legalization.

And that’s because, during the Senate nomination hearing for Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Lee put Sessions in the hot seat about his views on marijuana.

Lee essentially forced Sessions to admit that he thought the U.S. government should enforce federal weed laws even in states that legalized cannabis.

Sessions’s answer to Lee’s question about “separation of powers” is part of what kicked the fight to legalize weed and protect state law up a notch.

The Final Hit: Top 10 Pro-Weed Politicians Who Support Legalization

It’s up to voters to say Yes to legalization. But the job of protecting legal-weed states from federal interference falls to pro-weed politicians. But luckily, these ten folks are up for the challenge and are becoming major players in the fight for legalization nationwide.