Medical Marijuana Is Not An "Issue of Significance" to Mitt Romney

During an interview with a local CBS News affiliate in Colorado yesterday, Mitt Romney got more than a little annoyed with a reporter after she asked about gay marriage, college tuition for children of illegal immigrants, and finally about medical marijuana. Romney wanted to talk about other things. And he told her so.

"Aren't there issues of significance you'd like to talk about," Romney asked. "The economy, the growth of jobs, the need to put people back to work, the challenges of Iran? We've got enormous issues that we face. But go ahead, you want to talk about medical marijuana?"

She did. And so he gave an answer:

"I think medical marijuana should not be legal in this country. I believe it's a gateway drug to other drug violations. The use of illegal drugs in this country is leading to terrible consequences in places like Mexico, and actually in our own country. I oppose legalization of marijuana. I oppose legalizations of other kinds of drugs." 

You can watch the clip here. The medical marijuana outburst starts around the 2:20 mark. 

This isn't the first time Romney has tried to avoid questions about medical pot. Here's a young man who suffers from muscular dystrophy explaining the "terrible consequences" of treating his condition with medical marijuana to Mitt Romney in 2007. Even then, Romney was unmoved:

His answer may be callous, cold, and cruel. But at least, for once, it's consistent.

Lots more from Reason on medical marijuana here.