John Boehner calls for marijuana descheduling, joins marijuana firm’s board

A former Speaker of the House who opposed marijuana legalization for years will join the board of a marijuana investment company in a seismic shift announced Wednesday.

John Boehner (R-Ohio) said he will join Acreage Holdings, a firm that operates in 11 states, because his thoughts surrounding marijuana have “evolved” and he now believes cannabis could help veterans and reverse the opioid epidemic.

His decision to join the board is a marked shift — in 2009, Boehner said he was “unalterably opposed” to legalization, according to Bloomberg.

Boehner said his perspective changed after he saw how the plant helped his friend who had back pain, Bloomberg reported. He’s also interested in its use for veterans, and he has studied how marijuana legalization could impact the criminal justice system.

“When you look at the number of people in our state and federal penitentiaries, who are there for possession of small amounts of cannabis, you begin to really scratch your head,” Boehner told Bloomberg. “We have literally filled up our jails with people who are nonviolent and frankly do not belong there.”

Former Republican Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld is also joining the board. The two said in a joint statement that they believe “the time has come for serious consideration of a shift in federal marijuana policy,” specifically citing the drug’s use by veterans “to self-treat PTSD, chronic pain and other ailments.”

Cincinnatian Jimmy Gould, chairman of Green Light Acquisitions, said he’s seen a sea change in American attitudes.

“I think the biggest strength that’s going on with Speaker Boehner’s comment is the fight for states’ rights,” he told WCPO’s Tom McKee. “The states should be allowed to control their citizenry.”

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