OPINION
Could Cannabis Prohibition Cost Donald Trump a Second Term? Bishop Henry
The 2020 Presidential campaign is nearing its final stretch as the potential democratic nominees are being put to the test with their response to COVID-19. The Corona Virus outbreak seems to be an unforeseen election platform that might weigh in on who becomes the next President of the United States. However, being that this virus is going to pass and we will return to some sor t of normal again, hopefully soon, cannabis is what we really care about, let’s focus on that and the man currently occupying the White House, Donald Trump. In comparison to his potential rivals, Sanders has said if he wins the nomination, that he would make marijuana legal on the federal level. Joe Biden has changed his tune from where he was 10 years ago as a Vice President saying that it was a gateway drug. He has now adopted more of an in step, albeit nearly conser vative, view on cannabis meaning, “business as usual”. Meanwhile, Trump, who was already facing a tough campaign ahead, really has his work cut out for him. Will his stance on cannabis be one of the deciding factors in him winning a second term or is his fate already sealed no matter his stance? According to a Gallup poll, 66% of Americans favor legalizing marijuana federally. In August 2019, White House repor ter Steven Nelson of the Washington Examiner asked Trump whether marijuana would be legalized, Trump said, "We're going to see what's going on. It's a ver y big subject and right now we are allowing states to make that decision. A lot of states are making that decision, but we're allowing states to make that decision." Amazing. In 2018, President Trump stated that he would “probably” suppor t the STATES Act. The Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act, is a bipar tisan bill that allowed states to decide their own cannabis legalization laws. It’s likely that Trump isn’t going to stray from this stance, although in 2019, he attached a signing statement to the federal spending budget which states Issue 63 I Page 20
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