Presidential candidates are discussing more about cannabis in ways that were once believed to be unimaginable. White House hopefuls in both parties are taking donations from people in the new cannabis industry, which is investing majorly in political activism a route to further the growth of legalization and land its first big candidate, Rand Paul, at a trade show this past month.
Some Republicans, like Democrats, are stating they will not interfere with states that are legalizing a drug still prohibited under federal law. And at conservative policy meetings, Republicans are talking about whether drug sentences should be eased
A quarter century after Bill Clinton admitted to using cannabis but pushed the issue “I didn’t inhale,” the taboo against cannabis becoming smaller at the highest level of politics, just as it is displayed with the public.
“When I was growing up, it was political suicide for a candidate to talk about pot being legal,” stated Tim Cullen, owner of Colorado Harvest Co., a chain of medical and recreational marijuana shops
Cullen was present at a Hillary Rodham Clinton fundraiser in New Mexico this past month and spoke with the Democratic candidate about her position on legalizing marijuana.”She’s not outwardly hostile to the idea, which is a big step forward,” Cullen said. “She’s willing to openly talk about it at least.”
A small majority of Americans, 53%, stated in a Pew Research Center survey back in March that marijuana should be legal. As recently as 2006, less than a third were behind marijuana legalization in another measure of public opinion, the General Social survey.
Slowly but surely, politicians are beginning to shift.
