*By Jacqueline Corba*
Voters are effectively pressuring lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to publicly support the easing cannabis laws, said the deputy director of the National Organization for Marijuana Laws.
In an interview Tuesday with Cheddar, the deputy director, Paul Armentano said politicians were realizing that marijuana enjoyed greater popularity than they did.
"With the midterm elections approaching, more and more members of Congress from both parties now acknowledge that advocating for marijuana policy reform is not a political liability, rather its a political opportunity," said Armentano.
Last Friday ー on 4/20, of all days ー Sen. Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the minority leader, introduced a bill to decriminalize weed. A few days earlier, the majority leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, had introduced a bill to remove hemp from the list of controlled substances.
Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) have called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to stop using federal anti-drug laws to block medical marijuana research. And even President Trump changed his tune last week when he promised Sen. Cory Gardner, a Colorado Republican, he would support legal protections in states where marijuana is legal.
A majority of Americans ー 60 percent, according to a Pew Research Center poll ー said they support marijuana legalization.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/inside-the-momentum-driving-politicians-to-back-cannabis).
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says the White House has confidence the Secret Service is “going to get to the bottom of this.”
Americans are segregating by their politics at a rapid clip, helping fuel the greatest divide between the states in modern history.
China has restricted exports of high-tech metals gallium and germanium, which are critical to making chips, in response to the U.S. blocking them from access to advanced chips.
A federal judge in Louisiana has restricted the Biden administration from communicating with social media platforms regarding content.
Russia said it's in contact with the U.S. over the imprisonment of journalist Evan Gershkovich.
They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly.
Former President Donald Trump reportedly pressured former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey to overturn the state's 2020 election results.
Former President Donald Trump reportedly pressured former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey to overturn the state's 2020 election results.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are "beyond their sell-by date" in an interview with The New York Times.
Overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating affirmative action in higher education had been leading goals of the conservative legal movement for decades. In a span of 370 days, a Supreme Court reshaped by three justices nominated by President Donald Trump made both a reality.
