Booker hits Biden on anti-legalization stance: 'I thought you might have been high when you said it'

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Sen. Cory BookerCory Anthony BookerRand Paul introduces bill to end no-knock warrants Black lawmakers unveil bill to remove Confederate statues from Capitol Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE (D-N.J.) hit former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE over his recent remarks that he won’t legalize marijuana. 

“I thought you might have been high when you said it,” Booker said during Wednesday’s debate to laughs from the audience.

“Marijuana in our country is already legal for privileged people,” Booker continued, adding that the war on drugs has been a war on black and brown Americans. 

Booker added that this is one of the issues Democrats will need to address in order to win in 2020.

He also said that no candidate needs a focus group to know that black voters are “pissed off.” 

“I have a lifetime of experience with black voters. I’ve been one since I was 18,” Booker said about understanding African American voters. 

Click Here: New Zealand rugby storeADVERTISEMENTBiden pushed back, saying that he believes “we should decriminalize” marijuana and adding that anyone with a marijuana-related record should be let out of jail and have their record expunged. 

However, he also doubled down on his position that there needs to be continued research on the “long-term effects” of marijuana use. 

And he defended his record with African American voters. 

“I come out of the black community in terms of support,” Biden said.

Biden said he would not legalize marijuana during a recent town hall in Las Vegas. He said there is not “enough evidence” as to “whether or not it is a gateway drug.”