Jeff Merkley is One of Just Two U.S. Senators Who Want to Legalize Cannabis

Rep. Earl Blumenuaer’s efforts to get medical marijuana to veterans blocked again on Capitol Hill. Wonder why? Look at the numbers.

By Aaron Mesh

Oregon's legal cannabis appears poised to get some company. Voters in California will decide next month whether to legalize recreational weed—a vote that could be a tipping point for ending pot prohibition nationally.

But there's one place where cannabis isn't catching on: Congress.

A new report by The Washington Post shows that just 22 members of the U.S. Congress support cannabis legalization. That's despite polling that shows 54 percent of Americans want to legalize pot.

Among the handful of weed proponents on Capitol Hill are Oregon's Sen. Jeff Merkley and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, both Democrats.

Merkley is one of just two senators who support cannabis legalization—the other is Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont).

The result of so few lawmakers being willing to consider drug reform was apparent last week, when Republican congressional leadership blocked a Blumenauer provision that would have eased access to medical marijuana for veterans.

"It's incredibly frustrating and disappointing that despite broad bipartisan, bicameral support, a handful of out-of-touch lawmakers put politics over the well-being of America's wounded warriors," Blumenauer said in a statement last Thursday. "Our veterans deserve better."

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