New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said that he was not against medical marijuana at the second Republican presidential debate. However, his recent feud with a cannabis nurse seems to prove otherwise. On Wednesday in Newton Iowa, Gulf War veteran Shelly Van Winkle along with a cannabis nurse asked Christie how he would balance states’ rights to legalize medical marijuana despite the fact that it is still very much illegal on the federal level. The next question was whether or not he would do anything. The exchange became very heated in a short period of time. Christie said that he would not act to change the federal government’s conditions on medical marijuana. Here’s how the transaction went:
Van Winkle: “Cannabis is medicine.”
Christie: “That’s your opinion. I respect your opinion, but I disagree with it. Now, there are limited instances in [New Jersey] where we allow folks to use marijuana for medical purposes, but it is a medical program and it’s for only certain, specific diseases — you have to get a doctor to write a prescription for it. Those doctors have to be registered with the state, and we have to monitor what they’re doing.”
Van Winkle: “But under federal law, a doctor can’t write a prescription. They can only recommend. Because it’s a Schedule 1 substance. That’s the problem.”
Christie: “You’re asking me what I would do as president. I’m not going to get into a debate with you. You and I have different views. I could not administratively fix it and I will not administratively fix it.”
Van Winkle: “Under federalism, you could.”
Christie: “No, not under federalism. Federalism is a concept, it’s not a law. Okay? Listen, do you want an answer? Or do you want to continue to video me, so that you can use that and put it on the internet? Because that’s what this is about. And I’ve had this done to me in other states as well.”
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