The federal government could legalize marijuana in the [next five years](https://cheddar.com/videos/bill-weld-dominoes-are-falling-to-legalize-weed), said the former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld. Though, he said states should be able to decide the issue for themselves.
"Once you can do research on it, the arguments against it are going to be increasingly slim," said Weld on Thursday in an interview with Cheddar.
There are 29 states that allow medicinal use of cannabis, and nine states that have legalized recreational use of marijuana.
"We'd like to see cannabis descheduled as a Class I narcotic in Washington so that states would be free to do what they want," said Weld. "Right now there's a rub between federal and state law enforcement."
Weld and the former House Speaker John Boehner joined the board of the cannabis producer Acreage Holdings last week.
Boehner had long been an opponent of legal marijuana, but Weld said his new colleague changed his mind because the public's perception of the drug had changed.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/bill-weld-joins-acreage-board).
Rite Aid has been banned from using facial recognition technology for five years over allegations that a surveillance system it used incorrectly identified potential shoplifters, especially Black, Latino, Asian or female shoppers.
The union representing Southwest Airlines pilots says it reached a new contract agreement in principle with the airline following three years of negotiations.
U.S. Bank has been hit with a $36 million fine for freezing debit cards that distributed unemployment benefits during the pandemic.
Construction of new homes rose by double digits in November, according to data from the Commerce Department.
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Stocks opened lower after the opening bell and on track for its first decline in 10 days after a recent winning streak.
Tesla drivers in the U.S. were in more accidents than drivers of any other car brand this year, according to a study.
The promise of self-checkout was alluring: Customers could avoid long lines by scanning and bagging their own items, workers could be freed of doing those monotonous tasks themselves and retailers could save on labor costs.
Monsanto was ordered to pay $857 million to students and parent volunteers at a Washington school.
A federal judge has struck down hundreds of lawsuits filed against the makers of Tylenol and generic acetaminophen.
