Bernie Sanders has once again voiced his support for legalizing marijuana; this time, while speaking at George Mason University in Virginia. The New York Times reports that the event was live streamed to about 300 college campuses throughout the country, putting all eyes on the Democratic hopeful. When the controversial subject came up, he told his young audience that “in my view, the time is long overdue for us to remove the federal prohibition on marijuana.”
In order to regulate the substance, Sanders says we should look to the example of how local and state laws oversee the sale of alcohol and tobacco. He explained: “That means that recognized businesses in states that have legalized marijuana should be fully able to use the banking system without fear of federal prosecution.”
Advocates for legalization have argued that many who are currently incarcerated face unfairly harsh sentences for such a nonviolent crime. Sanders recognizes this view, saying the he saw a “racial component” to the millions imprisoned for drug offenses which reflected that the “criminal justice system is broken.”
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