Hillary Clinton Comes Out in Support of Protecting State Marijuana Laws

September 15, 2015 | Mike Liszewski

At a campaign appearance at Luther College in Iowa on Monday, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton stated that she supports state and local government attempts at regulating marijuana. CNN's Dan Merica reported via Twitter that Clinton when asked about attempts by states and cities to regulate marijuana, she said "I would support states and localities that are experimenting with this." Clinton did not bring up marijuana during her speech, but responded candidly when asked about the issue from a member of the audience. Her remarks are noteworthy in part because this position is a strong indication that Hillary Clinton would sign the CARERS Act if she were President.

Clinton's remarks are a marked shift over just a few years ago when she denounced legalization, at least in terms of its impact on stemming narco-terrorism. As a candidate back in 2007, Clinton came out However, until this point of the 2016 Campaign, Clinton had been relatively quiet on marijuana policy and last year articulated a cautious "wait and see" approach on state programs, while stating some acceptance of the medical use of the substance.

Clinton's statement is a strong indication that she would sign the CARERS Act, if elected. This bill, originally introduced by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) would not only protect all state medical marijuana programs, but would also reschedule marijuana, expand research, access to banking services, deschedule CBD extracts, and improve access for veterans.

While many expect that President Obama would sign the CARERS Act, he has thus far been silent and Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley has continued to deny a hearing. Despite, a growing number of senators signing on in support. But there is still time to make a difference. Activism on the part of patients and concerned citizens is the best way we can help make a hearing happen. You can do your part to help move the CARERS Act forward by calling/emailing your Members of Congress and by signing this petition.