Boehner had opposed marijuana reform; here’s what changed his mind

John Boehner, the former Republican speaker of the House who once said he was “unalterably opposed” to decriminalizing marijuana laws, has joined a board of directors for a cannabis company with an eye on rolling back federal regulations.

The former Ohio congressman has been appointed to the board of advisers of Acreage Holdings, invoking the need for veterans to access the drug legally to explain his change of heart, Boehner said in a statement Wednesday. The company grows and sells legal weed and operates in 11 states.

Boehner’s acceptance of marijuana tracks with evolving beliefs about the drug and its uses among Americans and even Republican lawmakers, Erik Altieri, executive director for the Washington-based marijuana advocacy group NORML, told The Washington Post. But, he said, Boehner probably would have been more influential if he supported marijuana use for veterans while he was speaker. The Department of Veterans Affairs continues to struggle with treatment options for post-traumatic stress and other mental health conditions.

“It would’ve been more helpful for him advocating for this 10 years ago,” he said.

The move is a stark reversal for the former speaker, who in 2011 wrote a constituent that he was against “legalization of marijuana or any other FDA Schedule I drug,” adding that “I remain concerned that legalization will result in increased abuse of all varieties of drugs, including alcohol.”

Spokesperson David Schnittger said Boehner’s evolving position has been the result of close study after leaving office.