Sen. Sanders has expressed support for allowing states to legalize and regulate marijuana for adult and medical use. He has been critical of the war on drugs, particularly with regard to how it has been enforced. He has expressed some concerns about regulating marijuana for adult use, which stem from his concerns about other illegal drugs. During the first 2016 Democratic presidential debate, Sen. Sanders said he would vote “yes” on an initiative to legalize and regulate marijuana for adult use if he were a voter in Nevada, where such a measure is set to appear on the November 2016 ballot. On October 28, 2015, Sen. Sanders announced he intends to propose legislation that would remove marijuana from the federal drug schedules and ensure states are allowed to regulate it similarly to how they are allowed to regulate alcohol. It would also allow marijuana businesses to access banking services and apply for standard tax deductions that currently are not available due to federal marijuana laws.
Sen. Paul has consistently supported states’ rights to establish their own marijuana policies, and he has been a vocal supporter of decriminalizing or reducing criminal penalties for those arrested for marijuana possession. He is a sponsor of the CARERS Act, a bipartisan bill that would allow states to set their own policies regarding the legalization of medical marijuana without interference from the federal government. He is also the co-sponsor of a bill that would allow marijuana-related businesses to access the banking system. In addition, Sen. Paul has been vocal on decriminalization or reducing criminal penalties for those arrested for the use of marijuana.
Clinton has expressed support for legal access to medical marijuana and more research into the medical benefits of marijuana. In 2014, when asked about the legalization laws approved in Colorado and Washington, she said “states are the laboratories of democracy” and that she wants to see what happens in those states prior to taking a position in support or opposition to such laws. During the October 13 Democratic presidential debate she was asked whether she has taken a position on state legalization laws now that a year has gone by, to which she replied, “No.” Instead, she expressed support for laws that allow legal access to medical marijuana, as well as concern about U.S. incarceration rates, noting that she does not believe people should be imprisoned for marijuana use. In an interview the following day, she expressed support for allowing states to adopt their own marijuana policies and said she would not want the federal government to interfere in them. On November 7, Clinton said she supports reclassifying marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II to remove barriers to researching its medical benefits.
As governor of Maryland, O’Malley repeatedly spoke out against the use of marijuana for any purpose, including medical marijuana. Despite his personal opposition, he signed bills into law in 2014 that decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana and established a workable medical marijuana program. In September 2015, O’Malley said that, as president, he would support efforts to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II.
Former Gov. Huckabee opposes the legalization of marijuana for any purpose, including medical use. He has expressed support for allowing states to develop their own marijuana policies free of federal interference, and he said he is “willing to let states operate under the 10th Amendment.”
Fiorina does not support the legalization of marijuana for any purpose, including medical use. She recently expressed support for decriminalization. She has expressed support for the rights of voters to establish their own state marijuana policies.
At the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference, Sen. Cruz said he is opposed to the legalization of marijuana for adult use, but he believes states should have the right to establish their own marijuana policies. Previously, the senator had criticized the Obama administration for not enforcing federal marijuana laws in Colorado and Washington after voters in those states adopted laws that regulate and tax marijuana similarly to alcohol.
In 1990, Trump said he favored legalizing all drugs, but more recently he has said he opposes legalizing and regulating marijuana for adult use. He supports legal access to medical marijuana, and he believes states should be able to set their own marijuana policies with regard to adult use.
Former Gov. Pataki is not in favor of legalizing marijuana for any purpose, including medical use. He has said that he supports states’ rights to set their own marijuana policies without interference from the federal government.
Gov. Kasich is “totally opposed” to marijuana legalization, including the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
He believes states should “probably” have the right to establish their own marijuana policies and would not challenge state laws regulating marijuana for medical or adult use.
Sen. Graham supports legal access to medical marijuana, but he is opposed to legalizing marijuana for adult use. He has not taken a strong position on states’ rights to establish their own marijuana policies. He voted against legislation intended to prevent the Justice Department from interfering in state medical marijuana laws, but he attempted (unsuccessfully) to switch his vote afterward.
Former Gov. Bush has a long history of supporting the war on drugs and opposing the legalization of marijuana for any purpose. He and his wife, Columba, are on the advisory board of the Drug Free America Foundation, a radical anti-marijuana organization with a history of opposing efforts to legalize marijuana for any purpose.
At the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference, he said he supports states’ rights to establish their own marijuana policies and that the federal government should not interfere in their decisions.
Dr. Carson has expressed some support for allowing the use of medical marijuana, but he has been highly critical of legalizing and regulating marijuana for adult use, citing the thoroughly debunked “gateway drug” theory. He said that he would probably enforce federal marijuana laws in states such as Colorado and Washington, which have made it legal for adult use, but allow for some form of medical use. He also said that, as president, he would “absolutely” continue the war on drugs and “intensify it.”
Sen. Rubio has expressed some support for allowing the use of non-psychoactive forms of medical marijuana, but he is staunchly opposed to the legalization of marijuana for adult use. He has equivocated in his support for letting states establish their own marijuana. In April 2015, he said he believes federal prohibition laws should be enforced in states that have repealed state prohibition laws.
Former Gov. Gilmore opposes the legalization of marijuana for any purpose. In 2000, he signed onto a National Governors Association policy plank thaturged the federal government to increase funding for the War on Drugs and declared legalization is “not a viable alternative, either as a philosophy or as a practical reality.”
Gov. Christie opposes the legalization of marijuana and has spoken out repeatedly against states that have legalized marijuana for adults.
He opposed New Jersey’s medical marijuana law, which was signed by his predecessor, and he has imposed strict restrictions on the program that have hampered its effectiveness.
Former Sen. Santorum is opposed to the legalization of marijuana for any purpose, including medical use. He does not believe states have the right to set their own marijuana policies and supports enforcing federal prohibition laws in states that have rejected them.
