Bernie Sanders Vows to Strike Down Absurd Federal Marijuana Money Laws

[Comrade Grumpy]

http://www.alternet.org/drugs/bernie-sanders-vows-strike-down-federal-marijuana-laws

In an interview with Stacey Walker of the Public Access TV show Little Village, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said that he does not agree with how U.S. marijuana laws work.

Walker asked for Sanders’ thoughts regarding the “War on Drugs,” which has cost billions in tax dollars over the years and put millions of Americans — a majority of whom are black and Latino — behind bars.

One of the things that hasn’t been spoken about a great deal so far in the race for 2016, is the decriminalization of marijuana, said Walker. “Do you have a policy position on that?” he asked Sanders.

“My home state of Vermont has decriminalized marijuana and I support that,” the senator said. “In other words, if you are possessing a small amount of marijuana it should not be a criminal offense, it will be civil, and you might have to pay a fine on that.”

“I support marijuana use for medical purposes,” Sanders continued, “and we’re exploring the pluses and minuses — of which there are both — of moving more aggressively on that issue.”

<snip>

More, including video, at the link.

[upaloopa]

1. Bernie supports you paying a fine for possession

of small amounts of pot?
Not only do you pay a fine it goes on your record.

[frylock]

2. What's Clinton's stance on decriminalization or legalization?

[cascadiance]

4. I guess she'd rather have us go in to bigger debt with more people in prison...

We still have to be international leaders in something. It might as well be in having the most raw numbers in prison, even if we don't have the largest world population, and even if it costs us a lot more in taxpayer's money that increases our government debt that her PAC complains about us wanting to increase. As long as that money goes to the prison industrial complex that likely helps her campaign, I guess that debt is ok.

And of course so many more kids are empowered to get out of college debt and be a part of our next generation's work community with drug records that keeps them in prison and from getting decent jobs that go overseas or to "guest worker" programs instead.

[Warren DeMontague]

21. I'm not a HRC supporter, but I'll give her credit where it's due. She apparently gave a good answer

to the question, more or less, in Iowa on Monday.

Unfortunately there seems to be no transcript or video of the Q&A session, but it appears from reports that she committed to the principle of allowing states to make their own determinations on recreational marijuana legalization.

https://twitter.com/danmericaCNN/status/643548967972683776

There was earlier feedback from a fundraiser in Portland where several representatives of the cannabis industry asked her about banking laws and again she offered assurances that she felt the situation needed addressing.

From the oregonian:

Leah Maurer, who worked on the marijuana legalization campaign last year that her husband Travis helped put together, said the Democratic presidential candidate spoke sympathetically about the banking problems faced by legal marijuana businesses. Federal rules now discourage banks from doing business with cannabis firms, hindering their operations and forcing them to keep large sums of cash on hand.

"It was very brief but when she said that there was big applause," said Maurer, adding that "just the fact that she said the word cannabis in a positive light was huge to me."

http://www.oregonlive.com/mapes/index.ssf/2015/08/hillary_clintons_portland_fund.html


I'm gonna give the candidates credit when they do the right thing, or try to.

it has not escaped my notice, however, that these exchanges seem to only happen when there are no cameras running.

[HooptieWagon]

5. Civil fines are small.

And probably no record. It's like a parking ticket. I'm in favor of legalization, regulation, and taxation...but it's not a big deal to me and I suspect Bernie would come around.
Clinton's record is continuing the current failed war on drugs...private prison industry are large donors to her campaign.

[upaloopa]

11. You are never going to beat the Hillary

you invented in your mind because she doesn't exist.

[bunnies]

7. Clintons not even for medical use and your criticizing Sanders?

Huh.

[HooptieWagon]

12. They live in a 1992 bubble.

The times, they are a-changing. People are wise to Corporate Dems and Clinton triangulation, lies, and smearing.

[bunnies]

13. I just don't get it.

I really, really dont.

On edit: Better to send people to prison I guess? wtf?

[HooptieWagon]

14. Private prison industry big donors to Clinton.

Of course she's going to support the status quo, that's what she's paid to do.

[bunnies]

15. And people are totally fine with that.

Rooting for it in fact. Ill never understand that thinking. Never.

[HooptieWagon]

17. Her positions are indefensible.

That's why they ignore them. They just worship the personality.

[bunnies]

18. At least she's finally dropped the Progressive label though.

I guess thats something to be grateful for.

[HooptieWagon]

20. For now.

Every once in a while the spinning weathervane will point that direction. Triangulation is hard dont ya know...

[bunnies]

23. Ha. Good point. nt

[Warren DeMontague]

22. He also says states should be free to 'experiment' with legalization, which is Hillary's stance, too

is it not?

[azmom]

3. Bernie is correct. I started medical marijuana

A few months ago, and I'm not clear about what I can and can't do. I may be breaking laws just by living my normal life.

Having said that, I know there is info on the web, but it's frustrating that I can't use it like any other medication.

[Skwmom]

6. I think your headline is misleading. n/t

[Comrade Grumpy]

8. It's the headline that came with the story.

[Comrade Grumpy]

9. Bernie doesn't say he would legalize it. Not good enough, Bernie!

[WDIM]

10. Legalization now!

First disappointing stance I have read from Bernie. There are many things I agree with him on but on this he is living in the past.

There has been no negatives of legalization in Colorado and Washington.There has been no negatives of the 45 or so states that have legalized medical use. There are only pluses no minus to deregulating this plant at the Federal level and allowing states to set their own laws and regulation of commerce.

What we no longer need is Gestapo militarized police invading the homes of peaceful citizens who are peacefully using a plant. It is madness the home invasion police raids that take place in this country on peaceful citizens whose only crime is possessing a plant.

Simply saying we should decriminalize small amounts of it is not enough. what about the people that want to grow it in their garden? The people that dont want to have to risk their safety and buy it on the blackmarket?

What about the blackmarket? A Scurge of criminals and heartless individuals that will sell poison to their customers if it means they will be hooked for life on harder drugs. The crime wave of the blackmarket has taken more lives then the drugs ever would alone. People going to drug dealers to buy a weed they could grow themselves introduces them to harder drugs and seedy individuals that would take all kinds of advantage of them.

Shame should be on the heads of the people who support the tyrannical prohibition of this natural plant given to us by a higher power. Whether you believe in God, Mother nature, or just the power of nature itself this plant was not put here by humans. Humans and especially Governments have no right to violate my relationship with nature, they have no right to prohibit my growing of food and medicine for my personal peaceful use. The only solution to stopping this tyranny is legalization and legalization now!

[liberal_at_heart]

16. Glad to hear he supports medical marijuana. I'm personally confused right now about how

I feel about recreational marijuana. I have always supported it. I even voted for it here in WA, but I have seen the legislators and capitalists purposefully work to try and destroy medical marijuana so they can make more money off of recreational marijuana. So, I am left feeling very confused about recreational marijuana.

[aikoaiko]

19. That's a decent start for a Democratic candidate. Hopefully he'll push for legalization soon.