Is McCain Any More Trustworthy Than Bush on Medical Marijuana?

The Marijuana Policy Project counts at least 10 of the 18 Democrats and Republicans running for president as "on the record in favor of ending the DEA's raids on medical marijuana and/or the federal government's prohibition on medical marijuana." I was struck by John  McCain's position:

Sen. McCain has stated publicly that he would protect states' rights in regard to medical marijuana, but he has yet to publicly confirm that he would end the DEA raids on sick and dying medical marijuana patients and their caregivers if elected….

When Sen. McCain gave his official campaign announcement speech on April 25, 2007, at Veteran's Park in Manchester, New Hampshire, he was asked if he would end the federal raids on medical marijuana patients. Sen. McCain answered, "I will let states decide that issue."

It's hard to put much stock in McCain's comment, since George W. Bush took the same position in his 2000 presidential campaign. "I believe each state can choose that decision [regarding medical marijuana] as they so choose," Bush told The Dallas Morning News in 1999. The unspoken qualification: The federal government can choose to override that decision.