Upstart Democratic presidential candidate Andew Yang is moving up in the polls and is on board with marijuana legalization.
Comedian Tommy Chong is among a small group of celebrities who support Yang. He tells CelebStoner:
"Yes, I am part of the Yang Gang. I found that I listen closely when Andrew speaks. He talks like he knows where we are at and where we are going. His take on automation and AI (artificial intelligence) is right on. Yang sees the road ahead and is preparing us for the years ahead. So I feel he could win. But even if he doesn’t he will be the go to guy for answers."
On September 15, Chong tweeted:
I am so proud to be a Yang supporter and it won’t stop with just the presidential election! Win or lose I am a Yang gang banger for life! https://t.co/hCyYYznljk
— Tommy Chong (@tommychong) September 15, 2019
On August 25, Chong tweeted:
I really like Andrew Yang. When he speaks he teaches new perspectives on the present and the future. He knows what is coming and how we will adjust. I support him 100 percent! https://t.co/qxeu8CZB5C
— Tommy Chong (@tommychong) August 25, 2019
Yes I support ANDREW Yang because he has a futurist view of where we are going . Andrew view is backed up with real facts.
— Tommy Chong (@tommychong) August 25, 2019
He continued on August 26:
Yang is telling us the “working class” have to be paid while they are learning new skills. This is seeing the future and planning for it. Intelligence is a trait that knows no financial restrictions. https://t.co/h2RbsRrD0O
— Tommy Chong (@tommychong) August 26, 2019
This is why I support ANDREW Yang. He says meaningful things that encourages a healthy lifestyle! https://t.co/PJqJ3pfdBF
— Tommy Chong (@tommychong) August 27, 2019
Yang, who's a businessman, has built his campaign around what he dubs the "Freedom Dividend," or universal basic income. As president, he would give every American (18 and over) $1,000 per month. During his career in business, Yang has accumulated $1 million in wealth. He appeared in the first two debates and, with 2% in several polls, has qualified for the next debates on September 12-13. He's the only political outsider to qualify so far.
At the Yang 2020 website, the candidate, whose parents were born in Taiwan, calls for the legalization of marijuana. The policy statement reads:
"We need to resolve the ambiguity and legalize marijuana at the federal level. This would improve safety, social equity and generate tens of billions of dollars in new revenue based on legal cannabis businesses."
In the Criminal Justice section, he also favors decriminalizing opioids, holding pharmaceutical companies accountable, decreasing pre-trial cash bail, reducing mass incarceration and lowering the voting age to 16.
When Joe Biden invoked the gateway theory that marijuana use leads to hard drugs to explain his opposition to federal legalization, Yang tweeted a photo of himself in a grow room and this comment: "Marijuana should be legal nationwide. It is already legal in several states, it reflects a safer approach to pain relief than opiates, and our administration of drug laws is deeply uneven and racist."
Say my name. pic.twitter.com/lMmV4fByNj
— Andrew Yang???? (@AndrewYang) November 18, 2019
Marijuana should be legal nationwide. It is already legal in several states, it reflects a safer approach to pain relief than opiates, and our administration of drug laws is deeply uneven and racist. https://t.co/0Uhl17MW98
— Andrew Yang???? (@AndrewYang) November 18, 2019
Also at the his website, Yang sells t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan MATH. MONEY. MARIJUANA. and Legalize Marijuana bumper stickers.
Other celebrities to endorse and donate to Yang's campaign include Elon Musk, Nicolas Cage and Weezer's River Cuomo.
On November 1, Weezer headlined Yangapalooza in Des Moines, IA.
This article was originally posted on Augut 27. It was updated on September 17 and November 18.
