PITTSBURGH - The Democratic candidate for United States Senate from Pennsylvania wants to see President Joe Biden move cannabis off the schedule of federally prohibited drugs before he visits Pittsburgh. 

John Fetterman issued a statement Monday calling for Biden to take executive action to reclassify marijuana, which is currently considered a Schedule 1 drug by the federal government. 

According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, Schedule 1 drugs are deemed by the federal government to have a high potential for abuse, no medical use, and also includes heroin. 

Cocaine, Oxycontin, and methamphetamine are examples of drugs listed in the next group down, on schedule 2. 

"The president needs to use his executive authority to begin descheduling marijuana, I would love to see him do this prior to his visit to Pittsburgh. This is just common sense, and Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly support decriminalizing marijuana," Fetterman wrote. 

Fetterman addressed his opponent in the race, Dr. Mehmet Oz, who has been campaigning on a message that Fetterman is weak on crime, in part over statements Fetterman has made about wanting to release nonviolent prisoners. "I don't want to hear any (expletive)  coming out of Dr. Oz's campaign trying to conflate decriminalizing marijuana with a seriously harmful crime. Are we supposed to believe that neither he nor any members of his staff have ever used marijuana? As mayor of Braddock, I made it my mission to combat serious crime. I know firsthand what real crime looks like. Marijuana does not fit the bill. It's time to end the hypocrisy on this issue once and for all."