Fetterman To Press Biden On Decriminalizing Marijuana

Biden campaigned on a pledge to decriminalize marijuana, but he’s yet to take meaningful action to that end after more than a year in office.

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D), a U.S. Senate candidate, is calling on President Joe Biden to make good on marijuana reform campaign promises—and he plans to raise the issue with him personally next week at a Labor Day parade in Pittsburgh, though he hopes to see immediate presidential action to enact a policy change before then.

Fetterman has long been an outspoken advocate for cannabis reform, and he’s pledged to push for the end of federal prohibition if he’s elected to the Senate. But even before the Election Day, he intends to take his advocacy directly to the president.

“It’s long past time that we finally decriminalize marijuana,” Fetterman said in a press release on Monday. “The president needs to use his executive authority to begin descheduling marijuana, I would love to see him do this prior to his visit to Pittsburgh. This is just common sense and Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly support decriminalizing marijuana.”

At next Monday’s Pittsburgh Labor Day Parade, the Democratic nominee “will be marching” alongside labor activists, his campaign said. Biden is currently scheduled to visit Pittsburgh to mark the holiday.