(Bernie Sanders on Marijuana) — Bernie Sanders, the Independent Senator from Vermont and 2016 presidential revolutionary, has been the most vocal democratic candidate for the legalization of medical marijuana. Bernie promises that if elected president, he would put forth a proposal that would allow states to freely legalize marijuana without any threat of federal prosecution. Furthermore, marijuana businesses would be affording banking opportunities and taxable profits, like any other business. For anyone in the cannabis industry who knows that burying cash in your backyard is, sometimes, the online option for “depositing” his or her earnings, this legislation would demarcate a major turning point in the ongoing effort to position the marijuana industry equally amongst other businesses.
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The Democratic Debate that took place on January 17th, 2016 provided the cannabis community with an incredible war chest of quotes from Bernie Sanders including:
Who is satisfied that millions of people have police records for possessing marijuana when the CEO’s of Wall Street companies who destroyed our economy have no police records. I find it very strange that a major financial institution that pays $5 billion in fines for breaking the law, not one of their executives is prosecuted, while kids who smoke marijuana get a jail sentence.
For the readers of this blog, this probably sounds very similar to a lot of your daily rants. Pro-cannabis advocates have been proclaiming for years how truly senseless it is that our country has been recklessly incarcerating people who possess an earth-grown plant capable of curing a plethora of illnesses while criminals on Wall Street basically rob the American people blind. Not to mention how insane it is that incarceration of cannabis users is encouraged so as to aid in producing revenue towards for-profit-prisons. However, that’s another post…
Bernie Sanders is not simply trying to whip up votes by feigning allegiance to the now omnipresent issue of marijuana legalization in the US. He’s been a long time advocate. He voted to legalize medical marijuana over 15 years ago when he co-sponsored the States’ Rights to Medical Marijuana Act that kick started the medical marijuana industry as we know it. Basically, the recommendation of marijuana by a physician for medical use and the prohibition of the FDA restricting a state from producing or distributing marijuana for the purposes of prescription were originally put forth by this Act! It was truly a landmark in the movement to legalize marijuana in the United States.
Bernie definitely seems to stick to his message. In previous debates, he can be quoted with saying:
It means that we have to rethink the so-called war on drugs which has destroyed the lives of millions of people, which is why I have taken marijuana out of the Controlled Substance Act. So that it will not be a federal crime.
And at his speech at George Mason University:
Too many Americans have seen their lives destroyed because they have criminal records as a result of marijuana use. That’s wrong. That has got to change.
When it comes to pro-marijuana legislation, it seems as though Bernie Sanders is the definitive candidate. One would be hard pressed to not find an easy answer to the question: Where is Bernie Sanders on Marijuana? His 18-year voting record backs up his inspiring speeches. OnTheIssue.org has compiled Bernie Sanders’ voting history regarding all things drugs in the US.
- Voted NO on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism. (Sep 2001)
- Voted NO on subjecting federal employees to random drug tests. (Sep 1998)
- Legalize medical marijuana. (Jul 2001)
- Exclude industrial hemp from the definition of marijuana. (Aug 2012)
- Exempt industrial hemp from marijuana laws. (Mar 2013)
Such efforts to legalize marijuana, avoid extraneous drug tests, and allow for the use of hemp (which doesn’t even get you high, by the way!) are evidence that Bernie Sanders has the American people’s interests at heart and won’t be swayed by the big corporations known for lobbying politicians so they can keep their for-profit prisons filled to the brim with marijuana “criminals”. We hope this articles helps keep you informed for all things Bernie Sanders on Marijuana.
Perhaps order your next marijuana online from WoahStork and Burn one for Bernie (#burn4bern) !
