All seven top-tier candidates support at least decriminalizing marijuana. Bloomberg, Buttigieg, Steyer, Warren and Sanders support vacating past marijuana convictions. Most of the candidates also support efforts to make it easier for marijuana businesses to access financial services. Warren, Sanders and Klobuchar are co-sponsors of the SAFE Banking Act, and Steyer has expressed support.

And only Biden and Bloomberg do not outright support legalization. More »

In the past, Bloomberg has been less than friendly toward cannabis.  While Mayor of New York, his stop-and-frisk policy and insistence on arrests for low-level pot possession led to around 440,000 arrests for marijuana possession alone.  And five years ago at the Aspen Institute, Bloomberg said he “couldn’t feel more strongly about” opposing legalization. “It is different than alcohol. This is one of the stupider things that’s happening across our country,” he said.

Westword Article »