Politics & Government
Rep. Joe Kennedy Explains Reversal On Marijuana Legalization
Kennedy also had strong words for President Trump's apparent decision to forego punishment for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
BOSTON (CBS) — Congressman Joe Kennedy (D-4th District) has changed his mind. Kennedy, until recently an unyielding opponent of marijuana legalization, explains in an interview with WBZ-TV Wednesday that the steady progress toward legalization in Massachusetts and elsewhere has become a fait accompli, and the focus now needs to be on avoiding a patchwork quilt of state regulations by dropping federal resistance.
“There needs to be clear federal guidelines and policy around some of these issues, particularly when it comes to advertising, warning labels, dosage, advertising to kids,” says Kennedy. “The federal government saying this is solely up to the responsibility of the states I don’t actually think is appropriate. There are less federal protections at the moment around marijuana than there are around alcohol or tobacco, and I think if we are going to say that this should be legalized the federal government should come in and set those guidelines.”