Former House Speaker John Boehner Joins Board of Cannabis Company

Once “unalterably opposed” in 2009, John Boehner has “evolved” in his approach to marijuana. Namely, from banning to selling it.

“I’m joining the board of #AcreageHoldings because my thinking on cannabis has evolved,” Boehner tweeted. “I’m convinced de-scheduling the drug is needed so we can do research, help our veterans, and reverse the opioid epidemic ravaging our communities.”

“Over the last 10 or 15 years, the American people’s attitudes have changed dramatically,” the former Speaker of the House said, according to Bloomberg. “I find myself in that same position.” And he is far from the only one making that shift. A majority — on both sides of the aisle — support the legalization of marijuana, and the numbers are rapidly growing.

In a joint statement with fellow Acreage Holdings newcomer, former Republican Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, Boehner said that “while the Tenth Amendment has allowed much to occur at the state level, there are still many negative implications of the Federal policy to schedule cannabis as a Class 1 drug: most notably the lack of research, the ambiguity around financial services and the refusal of the VA to offer it as an alternative to the harmful opioids that are ravishing our communities.”

Because of that, the statement declares “the time has come for serious consideration of a shift in federal marijuana policy.” It extols the ability of the plant to “self-treat PTSD, chronic pain and other ailments,” especially among veterans of military service.

Furthermore, Boehner has explained that his focus on the criminal justice system made the decision even clearer: “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,” he said. “We have literally filled up our jails with people who are nonviolent and frankly do not belong there.”

According to Weld, “You can look at the trend of millennial opinion and you can see the future.” And scrying this issue produces a very clear vision of where the country is headed. “Millennials who will inherit the kingdom before long,” said Weld. “They are even more positive about cannabis than the populous at large.”