Ilhan Omar: Marijuana must be legalized nationally to reduce income inequality

The progressive Minnesota representative told BET that the federal government — which has long considered marijuana a medically unnecessary, illegal drug on par with heroin and cocaine — should strive to ensure consistency between states on the issue, according to the Star Tribune.

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Omar said lawmakers in Washington should “not allow for the states to pick and choose” whether to legalize the substance. Eleven U.S. states—Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington—have thus far legalized marijuana for recreational use, as well as Washington, D.C. About half of the states have allowed for the medicinal use of cannabis.

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