Saying his thinking on cannabis had ‘evolved’ Former House Speaker John Boehner Tweeted that he was joining Acreage Holdings, a company that ‘cultivates, processes and dispenses marijuana in 11 U.S. states.’

“I’m joining the board of #AcreageHoldings because my thinking on cannabis has evolved,” Boehner tweeted. “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.”

Why is this a big deal? Because he’s a political heavyweight and can help influence legislation.

Though it wasn’t long ago that Boehner was against pot, saying in 2011 that he was “unalterably opposed” to legalizing the drug, public opinion now has swung in favor of legalization (64% of Americans favor making it legal.)

This comes as the Trump administration moves against the legalization to stifle the proliferation of decriminalization and legalization marijuana efforts in various U.S. states.

Whether a high-profile retired Republican can change this remains to be seen.