Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer called for the decriminalization of marijuana on Twitter Friday, and he accidentally made the argument for conservative policy.
THREAD: It’s official. Today, I am formally announcing my plan to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. It’s time we allow states, once and for all, to have the power to decide what works best for them.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 20, 2018
“It’s time we allow states, once and for all, to have the power to decide what works best for them,” the Democrat said, unaware that his own party advocates a very different line.
I have long believed that states should function as their own laboratories of democracy. My bill is a step in the right direction aimed at removing the barriers to state legalization efforts.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 20, 2018
So why have I changed my stance? Looking at the numbers helped. 2/3 of Americans believe marijuana should be legalized, meanwhile more than half of all drug arrests in the United States are marijuana arrests. (https://t.co/MUOam2uIxz)
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 20, 2018
And under existing law, the federal government considers marijuana as dangerous as heroin and treats it less favorably than cocaine. That has to change.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 20, 2018
In addition to decriminalization, my bill will invest critical resources into the THC research needed to prevent unintended effects on our youth and ensure highway safety.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 20, 2018
Schumer sent these tweets on Friday, April 20th — aka 4/20 — a day when people traditionally celebrate smoking marijuana. It’s unclear exactly where the holiday came from. Pew Research Center reported in February that 61 percent of Americans support legalizing the drug.