New Jersey’s lame duck governor and likely long-shot Republican Party presidential candidate just can’t help himself. The Reefer Madness radical Chris Christie doubles down on big government marijuana mayhem by declaring that he would use federal resources to trample the will of voters in Colorado and other states that have legalized marijuana. Christie declared his Big Brother intentions, if elected president, on CBS’ Face the Nation. It is odd that Christie would stick with such an unpopular position that goes against the conservative principles of small government and states’ rights. While GOP voters lag behind Democrats and independents in their support of cannabis legalization, a strong majority agree that the issue should be left to the states.
The Guardian reports on Christie’s latests radical rhetoric:
Chris Christie says he’d revive enforcement of federal marijuana law in states that have legalized recreational use of the drug if he were president.
The New Jersey governor says if that position causes him political trouble in battleground of Colorado, so be it. He says he won’t pander to voters or hide his positions for political expediency.
Federal and some state laws on marijuana are in conflict. But the federal government has adopted a hands-off approach to states with lenient marijuana laws. The Justice Department has told such states that it won’t challenge their laws so long as marijuana is tightly regulated. Colorado is one of them.
It is amazing that Governor Christie has the gall to state that he won’t pander to the will of voters, yet he has clearly pandered to Iowa farmers by vetoing a pig crate bill “which would prohibit pregnant pigs from being held in cages called gestation stalls that limit their ability to turn around, lie down, or extend their limbs”. I wonder if Governor Christie would support President Obama using federal resources to shut down New Jersey’s medical marijuana or internet gambling law. I’m guessing that he would be okay with the marijuana, but not the gambling, but it would be good to get him on record to further demonstrate his true hypocrisy. It seems to me that Christie’s big government plans won’t play well in GOP primaries, but the cannabis community must remain vigilant and ensure that the next president has a sensible stance on cannabis, unlike the radical madness spouted by Mr. Christie.
Anthony Johnson
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.
