WASHINGTON - Democrats meeting in Philadelphia have made history, voting to approve a national platform that endorses a “pathway” for the legalization of marijuana.
When Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders boasted Monday night that he had helped create “the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party,” he made no mention of the pot plank, which calls for “a reasoned pathway for future legalization.”
But it came as a clear victory for Sanders and his supporters.
As a first step toward legalization, the platform, approved Monday, calls for removing marijuana from the federal government’s list of Schedule 1 drugs, those considered the most dangerous. That list includes LSD and heroin, drugs considered to have a high potential for abuse and no medical purpose.
Legalization backers applauded the vote and said it reflected polls that found a majority of Americans wanted to legalize the drug.
“The fact that one of the country’s two major parties has officially endorsed a pathway to legalization is the clearest sign we’ve seen yet that marijuana reform is a mainstream issue at the forefront of American politics,” said Tom Angell, chairman of Marijuana Majority, a pro-legalization group. “A clear and growing majority of voters want to end prohibition.”
