Former Vice President Joe Biden stood his position on why he would not legalize marijuana on a federal level if he became president, stating there is not “enough evidence” as to “whether or not it is a gateway drug.”

On Saturday Biden spoke to a community of people in Las Vegas and he said whether the U.S. should legalize cannabis on a federal level is still up for debate as far as he is concerned.

“The truth of the matter is, there’s not nearly been enough evidence that has been acquired as to whether or not it is a gateway drug,” Biden stated, taken from Business Insider. “It’s a debate, and I want a lot more before I legalize it nationally. I want to make sure we know a lot more about the science behind it.”

Biden, as he has throughout his journey on the campaign trail, has mentioned that he stands behind medical marijuana and emphasized possession of the substance “should not be a crime.”

However, he also stated on Saturday as well that he believes the choice to legalize cannabis should be left in the hands of each individual state.

“States should be able to make a judgment to legalize marijuana,” he said at the town hall.

In regards to legalizing cannabis on a federal level, Biden states more studies are needed.

“It is not irrational to do more scientific investigation to determine, which we have not done significantly enough, whether or not there are any things that relate to whether it’s a gateway drug or not,” Biden said.

Several of his uppermost Democratic opponents have cast their support behind legalizing marijuana, which is as of now is still classified as a Schedule I substance, which the Drug Enforcement Administration defines as drugs

“with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”

Other Schedule I drugs include heroin and LSD. Biden’s campaign at one point sited that the former vice president would reschedule the substance as a Schedule II drug to assist in researching its health benefits.

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