On Marijuana Legalization, Most Presidential Candidates Agree With Fiorina, Not Christie
Cannabis federalism is popular among Republicans and Democrats.
Chris Christie wants to stop states from legalizing marijuana, while Carly Fiorina says they should be free to do so. In my latest Forbes column, I note that Fiorina's position is more popular among presidential candidates and voters:
This week New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie reiterated his intention to crack down on marijuana in states that have legalized it if he is elected president. In an interview on Face the Nation last Sunday, Christie answered "yes" when asked whether he would "return the federal prosecutions in these states," "yes" when asked if he would "go after" marijuana, and "correct" when asked if legalization would be "turned off."
If he were president, Christie could make a lot of trouble for state-licensed growers and retailers, but he would not actually have the power to make Colorado, Washington, Alaska, and Oregon recriminalize marijuana. Furthermore, any attempt to override the decisions made by voters in those states would arouse strong objections—and not just from supporters of legalization. Illustrating that point, another Republican presidential contender, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, disagreed with Christie. "Colorado voters made a choice," she said in a Fox News interview on Tuesday. "I don't support their choice, but I do support their right to make that choice."