Biden opposes legal pot as ‘ gateway drug’

Former Vice President Joe Biden said Saturday that more study is needed to determine whether marijuana is “a gateway drug,” making him the only one of the leading Democratic presidential primary candidates to oppose legalization on the federal level.

Biden – who said in 2010, “I still believe it’s a gateway drug,” and “legalization is a mistake” – was asked in Las Vegas if his position had changed.

“No, it hasn’t changed,” Biden said. He said that although he supports allowing states to determine their own marijuana policies, “the truth of the matter is, there has not been nearly enough evidence acquired as to whether or not it’s a gateway drug.”

Though Biden opposes legalization on the federal level, he said anyone incarcerated for marijuana should be released and criminal records should be expunged of any marijuana charges. He supports removing marijuana from the list of Schedule 1 drugs, which says it has no medical use, to Schedule III, which would make research easier.

The gateway drug theory says marijuana use can lead to harder drugs such as heroin or cocaine because it fuels an appetite to experiment with other drugs and enters the user in a social circle where other drugs are available. Critics of the theory say myriad factors contribute to addiction and no evidence has been found that pot’s effects lead to hard drugs.

“It’s a debate. Before I legalize it nationally, I want to make sure we know a lot more about the science behind it,” Biden said.

Biden’s stance contrasts with most other Democratic candidates. According to a poll from the Pew Research Center, 78% of Democrats and Democratic- leaning independents say marijuana should be legal.

AP “Before I legalize it nationally, I want to make sure we know a lot more about the science behind it,” said former Vice President Joe Biden.