Congress on Cannabis:
An Exclusive Reason Survey on Medical Marijuana
Earlier this year, REASON staffers called every member of the United States Congressional delegations from Arizona and California and asked them three questions relating to either Prop. 200 (Arizona) or Prop. 215 (California), successful ballot initiatives that allow doctors in those states to prescribe currently illegal drugs (anything in Arizona, marijuana in California):
1. Do you support the Clinton Administration's threats to crack down on physicians and other citizens of your state who exercise their rights under Prop. 200/Prop. 215?
2. Opponents of the measure such as Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) have claimed that voters were "asleep at the switch" and "hoodwinked." Do you think voters of your state were incompetent in passing the law?
3. Do you believe that physicians who prescribe or recommend marijuana to relieve a specific medical condition should be subject to criminal prosecution?
A summary of and commentary on the results can be found in the April issue of REASON. Not surprisingly for a controversial topic, 36 out of possible 62 respondents refused to answer our questions. Of the 26 senators and representatives who did respond, many were uncomfortable with boiling their position down to a simple yes or no; some only answered one or two of the questions, refusing comment on the others. As a result, we inferred their answers based on the overall content of their responses.
Overall, nine congressmen and congresswomen could be said to agree with the first question; 15 disagreed. The second question also garnered 9 affirmatives, with 16 opposed. The third question got eight yes votes and 15 no votes. Because not all respondents answered all questions, the totals do not equal 26.
Here are the specific responses:
ARIZONA
Sen. John McCain (R)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Sen. Jon Kyl (R)
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
Other: Spokesman said that although Kyl is a proponent of federalism and devolution, the senator believes "there cannot be 50 FDAs. Medicine needs to be tested scientifically and that science will hold up in every state. We can't let states dictate policy because drugs can be sold nationally."
Rep. Matt Salmon (R; District 1)
1. Yes
2. No
3. Yes
Other: From a written statement, in which the congressman identifies himself as "a strong proponent of reducing taxes, expanding trade, and promoting free-market health care reform like Medical Savings Accounts": "As long as the medical community does not recognize the efficacy of illegal drugs, it is appropriate to enforce laws against their distribution.
Rep. Ed Pastor (D; District 2)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Bob Stump (R; District 3)
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
Other: "I am adamantly opposed to Prop. 200."
Rep. John Shadegg (R; District 4)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Jim Kolbe (R; District 5)
1. No
2. No
3. No
Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R; District 5)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
CALIFORNIA
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D)
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. DNR
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Frank Riggs (R; District 1)
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
Other: Spokesperson said Riggs would like to see research conducted, that the "door is not closed to any procedure that would reduce human suffering."
Rep. Wally Herger (R; District 2)
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
Other: Spokesperson said Herger believes Prop. 215 "opens a loophole for illegal drug use that drug traffickers could drive a truck through." Herger thinks drugs "should not be legalized in any form."
Rep. Vic Fazio (D; District 3)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. John Doolittle (R; District 4)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Robert Matsui (R; District 5)
1. DNR
2. No
3. DNR
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D; District 6)
1. No
2. No
3. No
Other: Spokesman said, "She supported the proposition."
Rep. George Miller (D.; District 7)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D; District 8)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Ronald Dellums (D; District 9)
1. No
2. No
3. No
Other: Wrote President Clinton opposing administration position on Prop. 215.
Rep. Ellen Tausher (D; District 10)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Richard Pombo (R; District 11)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Tom Lantos (D; District 12)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Fortney "Pete" Stark (D; District 13)
1. No
2. No
3. No
Other: Spokeswoman said he "supports the law `definitely.'"
Rep. Anna Eshoo (D; District 14)
1. No
2. No
3. No
Rep. Tom Campbell (R; District 15)
1. No
2. No
3. No
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D; District 16)
1. No
2. No
3. No
Rep. Sam Farr (D; District 17)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Gary Condit (D; District 18)
1. No
2. No
3. No
Rep. George Radanovich (R; District 19)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Cal Dooley (D; District 20)
1. No
2. No
3. No
Rep. Bill Thomas (R; District 21)
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
Rep. Walter Capps (D; District 22)
1. No
2. No
3. No
Rep. Elton Gallegly (R; District 23)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Brad Sherman (D; District 24)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon (R; District 25)
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
Rep. Howard Berman (D; District 26)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. James Rogan (R; District 27)
1. No
2. No
3. No
Rep. David Dreier (R; District 28)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Henry Waxman (D; District 29)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D; District 30)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Matthew Martinez (D; District 31)
1. No
2. Yes
3. No
Rep. Julian Dixon (D; District 32)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D; District 33)
1. Yes
2. No
3. Yes
Rep. Esteban Torres (D; District 34)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Maxine Waters (D; District 35)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Jane Harman D; District 36)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (D; District 37)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Steve Horn (R; District 38)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Ed Royce (R; District 39)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R; District 40)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Jay Kim (R; District 41)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. George Brown (D; District 42)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Ken Calvert (R; District 43)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Sonny Bono (R; District 44)
1. No
2. No
3. No
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R; District 45)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Other: One-time "libertarian troubador."
Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D; District 46)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Christopher Cox (R; District 47)
1. No
2. No
3. No
Rep. Ron Packard (R; District 48)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Brian Bilbray (R; District 49)
1. No
2. Yes
3. No
Other: In a written statement, Bilbray expressed discomfort with the language, though not the intent of Prop. 215. Co-sponsored a federal medical marijuana bill with Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.).
Rep. Bob Filner (D; District 50)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Randy Cunningham (R; District 51)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R; District 52)
1. DNR
2. DNR
3. DNR