Schiff’s likely Senate win a boon for marijuana advocates

On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff locked up a place in the November runoff for a seat in the U.S. Senate, and given that his opponent, Dodgers great Steve Garvey, is a Republican, Schiff will almost certainly be California’s next senator.

Senators have enormous power as compared to representatives, and with Schiff’s expected new position, one group in particular is expecting to benefit: Those advocating for the federal legalization of cannabis.

Schiff, who is running for a seat held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, has a markedly different approach to marijuana than Feinstein did, according to The Marijuana Herald.

“Despite being a Democrat and considered a progressive on many issues, former Senator Feinstein remained opposed to legalizing or even decriminalizing marijuana nationwide throughout her full career, despite her state legalizing marijuana in 2016,” Anthony Martinelli wrote for the outlet.

Schiff, in contrast, has supported marijuana legalization and access in numerous bills already.

“He will be a clear advocate for marijuana-law reform in a chamber that has quite a few; but more is always better when it comes to support for a contentious issue,” Martinelli said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.