Internet Ablaze as John Boehner Joins Marijuana Company Board

“Should have waited till 4/20 to make this announcement,” one commenter tweets

John Boehner
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It’s been a weird day for Republican Speakers of the House. First, Paul Ryan decided he would not seek re-election this year. Then his predecessor, Ohio Republican John Boehner, announced that he was joining the board of a medical marijuana company.

And the internet was stoked — or is that toked? — at Boehner’s public reversal of his long-standing opposition to the legalization of marijuana. “Looks like John Boehner picked the wrong day to stop sniffing glue,” joked conservative commentator John Podhoretz.

“My thinking on cannabis has evolved,” tweeted Boehner, who served as House Speaker from 2011 until his resignation from Congress in 2015. “I’m convinced de-scheduling the drug is needed so we can do research, help our veterans, and reverse the opioid epidemic ravaging our communities.”

Acreage Holdings, a multi-state cannabis company that seeks to “make cannabis available to any patient who can benefit from safe and reliable access,” on Wednesday announced that Boehner and another Republican, former Massachusetts governor William Weld, would join its board.

Needless to say, the internet was surprised by news that Boehner, a longtime cigarette smoker and fierce opponent of relaxing cannabis-related legislation, had reversed his position on the issue.

“Well color me shocked. John Boehner, who fought leagalization [sic] is now in the pot business. Loss for words,” tweeted one commenter.

Others noted that Boehner and Weld’s public support for medical marijuana moves the two Republicans to the left of many mainstream Democrats on the issue. “Bill de Blasio and Andrew Cuomo, who’ve been having a years-long pissing match over who is the True Progressive, are now to the right of John Boehner on pot,” wrote one.

Others questioned the timing of the news. “John Boehner should have waited till 4/20 to make this announcement,” tweeted one, referring to the annual day for pro-marijuana advocacy.

See some of the other reactions below.

https://twitter.com/CallMeShortsBoy/status/984066674985926656

https://twitter.com/charles_kinbote/status/984054783748210688

https://twitter.com/MJB_SF/status/984064221959806976

Thom Geier

Thom is an award-winning editor and writer with a keen knowledge of American pop culture and a knack for finding original approaches that inform and delight readers. He’s handled breaking news as well as long-term feature packages, mentored young writers who have become industry leaders, and developed fresh, shareable content across both print and digital…

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