Presidential Candidates Silent on Marijuana

Casey Riley

Presidential Candidates Silent on Marijuana

Monday evening’s presidential debate was the first of three between presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Many things were said, and many ideas were discussed, but some are left troubled at what went unsaid. With the majority of Americans supporting the legalization of medical marijuana, the candidates’ collective silence on the issue is worrying.

Cannabis Reform

Cannabis reform has been in the public consciousness for years now, and the United States as a collective has come around to a desire for change. Currently, cannabis is classified as a “Schedule 1” narcotic. This is a federal classification making cannabis possession, sale, or manufacture illegal.

Deeming cannabis as having no legitimate medical use and a high potential for abuse.

As time goes on, fewer people agree with this classification. Study after study shows that cannabis has myriad medical uses for a vast array of different ailments, and Americans are taking notice.

Quinnipiac recently conducted a poll that shows American voters support the use of medical marijuana in staggering numbers: 89% are for it being legal if prescribed by a doctor. Additionally, 54% of Americans support legalizing marijuana in the U.S. generally (as in, not necessarily requiring a doctor’s prescription). With such overwhelming support, why are the two major parties’ candidates so hesitant to speak on the issue?

A Green Future Is A Bright Future

Marijuana legalization would change many aspects of the country, and most would be for the better.

For one, the cannabis industry is expected to be worth 50 billion dollars within the next ten years, a massive industry that would generate enormous tax revenues at both state and federal levels.

Also, prison overcrowding would be reduced as well if marijuana possession ceased to be a crime. This would minimize the amount of taxpayer money necessary to run our prison system. Currently, millions of dollars are wasted housing non-violent drug offenders.

And perhaps most importantly, legalizing the plant would allow for more research into uncovering more cannabis medicinal uses. With cannabis already helping millions of people in the United States, further study and accessibility would mean greater access to treatment people need.

The Final Hit

With two more debates left, we can hope that the presidential candidates will tackle the most popular medical issue in the country: cannabis reform and the legalization of medical marijuana. The people have spoken: will their representatives respond? Why wait? Contact your representatives today and tell them what you think is important: