Will 2016 make marijuana history? A Hill report proposes that Paul may be the first major presidential candidate to feature marijuana policy as a key part of his campaign:
He introduced a bill in March that would prevent federal prosecution of patients in states where medical marijuana has been legalized.
He’s separately offered support for the growth of industrial hemp, and worked to win Senate passage of legislation in 2014 to allow states to grow hemp for research.
More broadly, Paul has called for a serious review of the nation’s policies on illegal drugs. He’s an outspoken critic of decades-long prison sentences for the sale or possession of marijuana, which he has called “ridiculous.”
Pot doesn’t feature prominently on the “issues” area of his campaign website, and Paul has never endorsed full legalization. But he has already hinted that he won’t be reluctant to bring marijuana up on the campaign trail. In February he lashed out at likely 2016 rival Jeb Bush, calling Bush’s support for jailing marijuana users “hypocrisy.” Bush has admitted to smoking pot while a student at Phillips Academy in Andover, but now staunchly opposes any legalization or decriminalization efforts.
“He was even opposed to medical marijuana,” Paul said. “This is a guy who now admits he smoked marijuana but he wants to put people in jail who do.”
“[H]ypocrisy is, ‘Hey I did it and it’s okay for me because I was rich and at an elite school but if you’re poor and black or brown and live in a poor section of one of our big cities, we’re going to put you in jail and throw away the key,’ ” said Paul.
Paul’s campaign is particularly hoping to appeal to young people, who are much more likely than other generations to favor legalization. Even 6 in 10 millennial Republicans want marijuana to be legal. Past elections also suggest that millennial turnout increases when issues like marijuana are on the ballot.
“His message on marijuana reform is going to be very attractive to young people and communities of color,” the director of national affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance told The Hill. “It’s definitely going to force Hillary Clinton, or whoever is the Democratic nominee, toward that direction, because they’ll be worried about losing their base.”
And while The Hill notes that this tactic could also lose Paul support among older generations, recent polling shows that support for legalization is increasing among every demographic.
