The 2024 presidential election is fast approaching, and in recent weeks both major-party candidates have spoken out on cannabis reform, reflecting the growing significance and popularity of this pivotal issue in the national electorate.
While cannabis policies have evolved at a rapid pace on the state level over the past decade, cannabis has historically been a marginally acknowledged issue in presidential campaigns. However, thanks to the tireless work of advocates and the growing chorus of Americans…
Washington, D.C. — On Tuesday, the Marijuana Policy Project released their cannabis policy reform voter guides for the 2024 governors’ races and the U.S. Senate races.
Sebastian Marincolo, philosopher and author of "High: Insights on Marijuana"
"The legalization of marijuana is not a dangerous experiment—the prohibition is the experiment, and it has failed dramatically, with millions of victims all around the world."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren
"Our federal marijuana laws perpetuate our broken criminal justice system, impede research, restrict veterans’ access, and hinder economic development."
Pat Robertson, chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network
"I really believe we should treat marijuana the way we treat beverage alcohol. If people can go into a liquor store and buy a bottle of alcohol and drink it at home legally, then why do we say that the use of this other substance is somehow criminal?"
Andrew Sullivan, author
"The sole tangible way in which pot is a gateway to other illegal drugs is that it is illegal. The best way to end this easy path to worse narcotics is to legalize it and take it out of the hands of criminals and gangs."
Carl Sagan, astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, and author
"The illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world."
Alice Huffman, grassroots leader and president of the California Hawaii NAACP
"We believe whatever potential harms may be associated with using marijuana are more than outweighed by the immediate harms that derive from being caught up in the criminal justice system. Once a young person is arrested and brought under the justice system, he or she is more likely to get caught in the criminal justice system again.... It is time to end the failed war on drugs by decriminalizing and regulating marijuana to save our communities."
Joe Montana, former NFL player
"Legalization is picking up steam on a global level and I feel like now is the time to spread information about the curing capabilities of this plant. As with any medicine, increased accessibility comes with the need for education."
Arianna Huffington, author, syndicated columnist, and businesswoman
"It's not just the over $8 billion that we would be saving in law enforcement; it's also the over $8 billion that we would be making by taxing marijuana... We are filling our jails with nonviolent drug offenders ⎯ predominantly young, predominantly African American... It's a great beyond left and right issue. It has support across the political spectrum and also the support of the majority of the American people."