GET YOUR MEDICAL CARD
As the year lurches closer and closer to November, Donald Trump's campaign for the Republican nomination continues to gain steam. Trump has a reputation as a political outsider who breaks from the GOP establishment, and he's known for saying and doing unpredictable things.
There are plenty of issues where his stances are unclear. Particularly, Trump's opinions on medical marijuana have received little to no press, especially compared with his outspoken positions on issues like immigration and trade. With a Trump candidacy looking more likely with each primary, we should put some serious thought into what this wildcard candidate's stance might be.
What Is Trump's Opinion on Medical Marijuana?
Part of the problem with predicting the position a Trump administration would take regarding medical marijuana is that Trump himself has substantially changed his opinions on several issues over time. He has a reputation in the political press for changing his mind on issues as varied as abortion, ISIS and others.
In an interview with the Miami Herald in 1990, Donald Trump said he was in favor of legalizing all drugs for adults. However, he announced at the 2015 CPAC conference that he opposes the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes.
But regarding medical marijuana, he's been more uniformly positive. At that same conference, he said he is "100 percent" in favor of medical marijuana, and he also reiterated this at a 2015 political rally.
Despite the mercurial nature of Trump's opinions, it appears that he's relatively constant about the merits of medical marijuana and how to enforce federal laws surrounding it. Still, we should keep a close eye on any opinions the candidate might voice, just in case.
Chris Christie as Attorney General?
With former New Jersey governor Chris Christie's recent endorsement of Donald Trump, pundits have speculated that Christie is jockeying for a place in a Trump administration. While it's possible that Christie's trying to become Trump's vice presidential pick, there's been ample speculation that he's leaning toward a position as Attorney General - especially given his previous experience as US Attorney for New Jersey. Since the attorney general heads the Department of Justice and makes essential decisions about prosecution and the federal government's legislative authority, whom the president chooses as his attorney general has a major impact on how federal marijuana laws are enforced.
Christie generally takes a very strong stance against marijuana legalization on a state level. If he were to become President Trump's attorney general, it's likely that he'd seek to pursue strict federal enforcement of existing marijuana laws. However, while the attorney general is a powerful figure, the attorney general works for the president, and carries out the administration's policies. Since Trump's position on medical marijuana is more moderate than Christie's, it's possible that Attorney General Christie could soften his stance on marijuana, especially medical marijuana.
The Importance of States' Rights
Political conservatives in the United States have a strong record of supporting the states' rights to decide policies about certain social issues, including abortion and gay marriage. The traditional conservative stance has been a strict construction of the 10th Amendment, saying that any powers that are not strictly enumerated by the federal government are left to the states to decide.\
However, the legality of medical (and recreational) marijuana has polarized the GOP field this election season. Some GOP candidates have expressed their support for states deciding and enforcing their own marijuana policies, while others have said that various states' policies surrounding marijuana are illegal vis-a-vis federal law, and that federal law should be strictly enforced.
But further complicating the issue is the fact that a large part of Trump's appeal to voters is that he doesn't follow conservative orthodoxy. Trump leaves many of American politics' traditional left-right distinctions behind. If Trump were to take office, would he tow the standard conservative line, and leave medical marijuana decisions up to the states? Or would he follow suit with many of the GOP candidates, and reject the legality of medical marijuana? Thus far, it appears that he generally sides with medical marijuana patients (and against recreational users), but only time may tell.
Conclusion
This early in the race, it's difficult for us to say exactly how things will pan out. It's not clear that Trump will become the Republican nominee. It's not clear who he'll choose as his attorney general, or where Chris Christie would fit into a Trump cabinet (if anywhere). And, of course, Trump's own positions are frustratingly vague to many political observers. On several major issues, he's regularly changed his stance, just during this election.
Generally, Trump seems to support medical marijuana prescription and usage. This is, tentatively, good news for medical marijuana patients, who use cannabis for conditions as diverse as glaucoma, chronic pain, migraines, anxiety and more.
But the tens of thousands of individuals in the US who rely upon this drug shouldn't rest easy. With so much uncertainty surrounding this election -- and the positions of the GOP frontrunner -- it's important to stay on top of the issues. Patients, caretakers and advocates should educate themselves about candidates' stances on medical marijuana use, as well as the legalization, regulation and taxation of recreational marijuana. The US political arena is rapidly changing, especially surrounding drug legalization, and if we educate and mobilize voters and concerned citizens, we can make a huge difference for good.
