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Where Do Presidential Candidates Stand on Marijuana?
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The 2016 presidential field is starting to take shape, and many of the candidates are weighing in on the debate about marijuana.
Here’s a roundup of what the declared candidates have said about cannabis policy, as well as what they’ve admitted about their own marijuana consumption.
This post will be updated as new candidates officially enter the race. All candidates are listed in alphabetical order.
Hillary Clinton – Democrat
The former secretary of state, U.S. senator and first lady has said marijuana has medical value and that she wants to see states move forward with their own laws. “I think we need to be very clear about the benefits of marijuana use for medicinal purposes,” shetold CNN. “I don’t think we’ve done enough research yet, although I think for people who are in extreme medical conditions and who have anecdotal evidence that it works, there should be availability under appropriate circumstances.”
“On recreational, you know, states are the laboratories of democracy. We have at least two states that are experimenting with that right now,” she said. “I want to wait and see what the evidence is.”
Those comments indicate an openness to letting states enact their own marijuana laws without federal interference but, on the other hand, Clinton also told KPCC radio that, “I think the feds should be attuned to the way marijuana is still used as a gateway drug and how the drug cartels from Latin America use marijuana to get footholds in states, so there can’t be a total absence of law enforcement, but what I want to see, and I think we should be much more focused on this, is really doing good research so we know what it is we’re approving.”
During her last presidential campaign, in 2007, she said, “I don’t think we should decriminalize it.”
In 2011, as secretary of state, Clinton responded to a question about whether legalization would reduce drug cartel violence bysaying, “It is not likely to work. There is just too much money in it, and I don’t think that you can legalize small amounts for possession, but those who are making so much money selling, they have to be stopped. They can’t be given an even easier road to take, because they will then find it in their interest to addict even more young people. Mexico didn’t have much of a drug problem before the last 10 years, and you want to keep it that way. So you don’t want to give any excuse to the drug traffickers to be able legally to addict young people.”
On a personal level, she said she’s “absolutely not” tried marijuana. “I didn’t do it when I was young. I’m not going to start now.”
Ted Cruz – Republican
The U.S. senator from Texas isn’t a fan of legalization but has said that when it comes to states that want to end prohibition, “that’s their right.”
However, he has also slammed President Obama for allowing states to pursue legalization with little federal interference. “The Obama administration’s approach to drug policy is to simply announce that across the country, it is gonna stop enforcing certain drug laws,” Cruz told Reason. “I think most disturbingly, watching President Obama’s approach to drug laws is that he hasn’t tried to start a discussion, a dialogue about changing the laws. He simply decreed he’s not gonna enforce laws he doesn’t agree with.”
Earlier this year, Cruz pressed attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch with no fewer than 17 written questions about marijuana policy, including, “What steps will you take to require these states to cease and desist their support of the cultivation, distribution, and sale of marijuana, or to otherwise bring these states into compliance with existing federal controlled substance law?”
Cruz’s overall position seems to be that states should be allowed to legalize marijuana but, given current federal law, the presidential administration should continue to stand in the way of states that move forward. However, he hasn’t yet introduced any legislation to bring federal law into line with his apparent view that the national ban on marijuana possession, cultivation and sales should be removed so states can set their own policies without interference. He hasn’t even co-sponsored a bipartisan bill that fellow presidential contender Rand Paul and others have introduced to stop federal raids on state-legal medical marijuana patients and providers.
As for Cruz’s own relationship with the drug, a spokesman said, “When he was a teenager, he foolishly experimented with marijuana. It was a mistake, and he’s never tried it since.”
Rand Paul – Republican
The U.S. senator from Kentucky is one of the only candidates who has actively worked to reform marijuana laws. For example, he is an original sponsor of a bill that would effectively end the federal war on medical marijuana. The Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States (CARERS) Act of 2015, which Paul introduced with a biapartisan coalition of other senators, would reschedule marijuana, allow banks to provide financial services to state-legal cannabis businesses, lift restrictions on marijuana research, allow for the interstate importation of CBD-rich strains and allow V.A. doctors to recommend medical cannabis to military veterans, among other changes.
Paul is also working on other legislation to roll back various aspects of the war on drugs, including proposals to restore voting rights to convicted felons, reform mandatory minimum sentencing and scale back civil asset forfeiture.
When asked about Congressional efforts to block Washington, D.C. from implementing its voter-approved marijuana legalization measure, Paul said, “I’m against the federal government telling them they can’t.”
Source: http://truthisscary.com/2015/04/where-do-presidential-candidates-stand-on-marijuana/
You’ll notice “if you pay attention” that these political parasites of society who run for office, always support the FAIRY TALE that the governments CONstitution and laws, automatically apply to everyone. BUT when you ask ANY government stooge, what facts they rely on that proves any of it is applicable to someone just because they are physically within what is commonly referred to as a state, THEY HAVE NO PLAUSIBLE ANSWER!
NONE of it applies to us! There is absolutely zero factual evidence that supports applicability to the private person! it has never existed and it never will exist!
I know, most of you are so thoroughly indoctrinated and propagandized that you will dismiss this out of hand but aren’t you just the tiniest bit curious?? I know you can’t prove it and that is factual! Call up your favorite government agency, federal or state, and ask them if they believe that their CONstitution and laws apply to everyone that is physically within the state, THEN ask them for factual firsthand irrefutable evidence that proves their assertion.. They’ll tell you anything that they believe will get you to believe their fairy tale but they will NEVER offer you EVIDENCE that it applies! NEVER!
There all in on the scam so who cares and the election will be rigged, the MSM will lie to the masses while they select the next corporate officer and pretend the people elected them. Really does anyone still believe in voting?