Kennedy Says Feds Should Legalize, Regulate Pot

LEICESTER, Mass. (AP) - U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy says he has changed his perspective on marijuana and is now calling on the federal government to legalize and regulate the drug.

In an opinion piece published the day the first two pot shops opened in his state, the Massachusetts Democrat called on Tuesday called for marijuana to be removed from the list of drugs covered by the federal Controlled Substances Act.

Kennedy writes that he has long been skeptical of marijuana legalization because of concerns the drug can lead to addiction, particularly among adolescents.

Writing in STAT, a Boston-based health and medical publication, Kennedy says he has also come to appreciate the benefits of legalization and believes federal prohibition has done little to protect public health and safety.

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