Rep. Tim Ryan would be a great addition to the U.S. Senate. The Democratic Ohio Congress person has voted to pass The MORE Act several times and on October 3 he visited a medical-cannabis cultivation facility in Youngstown.
Ryan favors adult-use legalization in the Buckeye State. “You can make sure the product is safe and not laced with fentanyl or some of these other things that are killing people," he said during his stop at Riviera Creek. "To me, I think we need to take that next step."
In a 2018 op-ed at CNN, Ryan wrote, "Marijuana should be legal in all 50 states," adding:
"Studies have shown that marijuana legalization could save $7.7 billion in averted enforcement costs and add $6 billion in additional tax revenue – a $13.7 billion net savings. Not to mention the reported 782,000 jobs it could create on day one.
"Think of what our country could do with that money: rebuild our highways, bridges, and railroads; provide our communities with the resources they need to respond effectively to substance abuse and the opioid epidemic; and create jobs."
Ryan is opposed by Trump-supported Republican J.D. Vance. It's unclear where the Hillbilly Elegy author stands on marijuana legalization.
Four More Important Senate Races
• Pennsyslvania: Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) vs. Dr. Mehmet Oz (R) - Fetterman is for adult-use legalization. Oz is not..
• Kentucky: Incumbsnt Sen. Rand Paull (R) vs. Charles Booker (D) - Paul formerly was favorable to medical marijuana. On his website, Booker says he "fully supports and has been a champion for full legalization of cannabis."
• North Carolina: Cheri Beasley (D) vs. Ted Budd (R) - On her website, Beasley says she "supports legalizing and regulating cannabis." Budd does not.
• Missouri: Trudy Busch Valentine (D) vs. Eric Schmitt (R) - Valentine supports Amendmnent 3, the adult-use legalization measure on the November ballot. Schmitt does not.
