The United States Senate has confirmed former congressmember Tulsi Gabbard as the new Director of National Intelligence.
Gabbard, a former representative from Hawaii and an Iraq War veteran, has long been outspoken on issues of personal freedom, including marijuana legalization. She has consistently supported allowing adults to use marijuana without criminal penalties, arguing that the government should not interfere with personal choices.
“Marijuana use is a personal choice and should not be a criminal act”, she said in 2019, adding that “For many years I have worked to end the marijuana prohibition”.
In addition to advocating for recreational legalization, Gabbard has been a strong proponent of medical marijuana, particularly as an alternative to opioid painkillers. She has criticized the federal classification of marijuana, calling its Schedule I status outdated and harmful.
“The fact that marijuana remains a Schedule I drug is unacceptable,” she has said.
During her time in Congress, Gabbard introduced and co-sponsored multiple bills aimed at federal marijuana reform, including being the lead sponsor of the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2019. She additionally backed proposals allowing military members to use hemp-derived products, a measure that passed in the House but was not included in the final version of the bill.
The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) serves as the head of the U.S. intelligence community, overseeing and coordinating the activities of the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies, including the CIA, NSA, and FBI’s intelligence branch.
