Hillary Clinton Confronted about Medical Marijuana by Iowa Mother

   
| August 17, 2015 12:22 pm | 13 comments

Despite Bernie Sanders’ surge, particularly in the first primary state of New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton remains the Democratic frontrunner and the odds-on favorite to be the next President of the United States. Thus, it remains extremely important that cannabis law reformers lobby Clinton to support sensible federal marijuana policies that build upon gains made under the Barack Obama Administration. Secretary Clinton hasn’t voiced the most progressive stances on marijuana policy in the past, actually out of step with her Democratic constituents. The Democratic frontrunner was confronted by an Iowa mother who made a desperate plea for the legalization of medical marijuana to help her daughter while Clinton was campaigning at the Iowa State Fair.

Politico reported:

A 30-something Iowan mother named April Stumpf asked her to support legalizing medicinal marijuana nationally. Stumpf’s three-year-old daughter, Quinn, has a severe case of epilepsy and is about to die, she explained to Clinton. Her doctors recommend medical marijuana to ease the pain, but it’s hard to get because it’s illegal to sell in Iowa. The state allows residents to get medical marijuana cards and purchase the drug out of state — but often states that sell it require patients to be present for purchase, and Quinn is too sick to travel.

“She’s not expected to live past … ” her voice trailed off. “I mean, she can go at any time.”

Clinton agreed that there should be more research on the subject. And when Stumpf walked away, she dispatched her aides to get her contact information as the crowd continued onward.

I can only imagine the pain of any parent who has to witness their child suffering. It is an outrage that medical cannabis isn’t available to patients in need, from children with epilepsy to veterans battling post-traumatic stress to patients battling a host of debilitative conditions. It is imperative that the next President of the United States be on record as supporting medical marijuana federally as too many people are needlessly suffering. Geography shouldn’t determine whether you or your child gets the best medical treatment available. Hopefully, the plight of April Stumpf and her daughter will help convince Hillary Clinton to get on the right side of history on this issue.

Presidential candidates, like Hillary Clinton, get swarmed by potential voters while eating the obligatory state fair food. 

 

Anthony, a longtime cannabis law reform advocate, was Chief Petitioner and co-author of Measure 91, Oregon's cannabis legalization effort. He served as director of both the New Approach Oregon and Vote Yes on 91 PACs, the political action committees responsible for the state's legalization campaign. As director of New Approach Oregon, Anthony continues to work towards effectively implementing the cannabis legalization system while protecting small business owners and the rights of patients. He sits on the Oregon Marijuana Rules Advisory Committee and fights for sensible rules at the legislature as well as city councils and county commissions across the state. Anthony helps cannabis business comply with Oregon's laws and advises advocates across the country. He also serves as content director of both the International Cannabis Business Conference and the Oregon Marijuana Business Conference, helping share the vision of moving the cannabis industry forward in a way that maintains the focus on keeping people out of prison and protecting patients. He was a member of the Oregon Health Authority Rules Advisory Committee, assisting the drafting of the administrative rules governing Oregon’s state-licensed medical marijuana facilities. He first co-authored and helped pass successful marijuana law reform measures while a law student at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. He passed the Oregon Bar in 2005 and practiced criminal defense for two years before transitioning to working full-time in the political advocacy realm. His blogs on Marijuana Politics are personal in nature and don't speak for or reflect the opinions of any group or organization.