Why Joe Biden may use cannabis to engage younger voters
Election day in the United States of America is approaching, and the younger generation vote is an important vote to past vice-president Joe Biden. Will his platform show a vision for the future or return to normalcy? For Joe to get the interest and ultimately, the vote of the younger generation, he needs to direct his focus on the future, not the past. The future includes marijuana legalization at a federal level.
Chronic stress, anxiety, and Joe
As the world battles with the deadly COVID-19 virus, marijuana is proving to be a hot commodity. COVID-19 is proving to be the cause of a global spike in anxiety disorders and chronic stress, and people are turning to cannabis to help relieve these conditions. Medical cannabis consumers are stocking up on needed medicine.
Patients are fearful of running out of the required medicine, not knowing how long this COVID-19 pandemic is present. An added stressful situation is the approaching U.S. presidential election. Many voters are looking for Joe Biden to open up the restrictions on cannabis, and they promise to be reflective in the polls if he puts marijuana high on the "to-do list."
Cannabis views
Mr. Biden would likely benefit if he were supportive of marijuana legalization. Clearly, Mr. Biden supports medical cannabis and the decriminalization of the herb. An issue with Mr. Biden’s, though, is his idea that for him to support full-scale marijuana legalization, more evidence has to be produced, as we can’t have one without the other.
Mr. Trump, on the other hand, though some of his decisions, indicate that he does not support cannabis. In 2019 Mr. Trump challenged Congress protection laws for medical cannabis. Some feel this decision openly showed Mr. Trump's resistance towards marijuana legalization, and for that reason, he’s long been hailed as anti-pot.
Financial concerns
Cannabis legalization in the states would be beneficial for the cash strapped industries. The youth, recreational, and medicinal cannabis users are looking at who it is assisting due to the COVID-19 virus. A change in federal law would allow cannabis businesses to access emergency business relief funds. Financial help for companies in the cannabis space is no new issue. COVID-19 has only exacerbated the already dire situation.
Time will tell
Perhaps it is too early to tell if Biden has what the young supporters need. It is interesting to note that the twenty-somethings and teens who are walking the same path as Biden are looking for passengers to join them on the ride. The young followers look to Biden to get things done, no matter what. In the past, the perception of young voters is that Joe has little concern for their plight.
Millennials are thought to represent 27% of voters in the 2020 election. Mr. Biden has been known to send confusing and mixed messages regarding millennials. Mr. Biden views the generation as awakened and engaged in participation, and he disputes the implication that he is anti-millennial. Mr. Biden feels the suggestion says that he does not care about this group. He adamantly states that the opposite is correct, as he cares about them like the devil because he knows that this group of young voters are the future.
