Will A Trump Presidency Kill Medical Marijuana?

Will a Trump presidency mean that the legalization of Marijuana could go up in smoke?

Why President Trump Didn't Kill Medical Marijuana from CannabisNet on Vimeo.

As November 8 draws nearer, advocates of marijuana legalization worry. If Donald Trump wins the presidency, there is a big risk that legalization will get weeded out of the government’s priorities. Even worse, Trump could completely prohibit marijuana - even medical marijuana -with a flick of his finger. More than 25 states already allow legal marijuana in one form or another, and the medical marijuana industry is growing bigger each day. To be honest, considering a Trump presidency is disturbing, to say the least.

Trump On Medical Marijuana

Back in 1990, he was in favor of legalizing all drugs as a strategy to win the war on drugs. Legalization, according to Trump, was the best way to prevent drug cartels from hoarding all the profit. But more recently he has voiced that he would prefer to regulate access to medical marijuana but is against legalization. Trump also said that each state can make their own decisions about policies.

In a video interview on June 23, 2015, he said: “I’d say [regulating marijuana] is bad. Medical marijuana is another thing, but I think it’s bad and I feel strongly about that. [Moderator: “What about the states’ right aspect of it?”] If they vote for it, they vote for it… But I think, medical marijuana, 100%”

Then on October 23, 2015; he added: In terms of marijuana and legalization, I think that should be a state issue, state-by- state. … Marijuana is such a big thing. I think medical should happen — right? Don’t we agree? I think so. And then I really believe we should leave it up to the states.”

TRUMP FLIP FLOP ON WEED

Half-Baked Stance

What’s actually scary is that Trump has been notoriously inconsistent about his opinions on marijuana. He could be pro-medical marijuana one day, but the next, we’d be blindsided and wake up to complete prohibition all over again. Without warning, with just one stroke of his pen.

According to Allan St. Pierre, the executive director of NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws): “He could change his mind in five minutes.” He also added, “It’s almost impossible to know exactly what he actually believes because he has said so many different things and contradicted himself.”

Then again, in a recent appearance on “This Week” on ABC with Martha Raddatz, Trump said: “We don't want to do anything. And if you're not going to want to do the policing, you're going to have to start thinking about other alternatives.” He basically just rephrased his 1990 stance on the war on drugs. It seems to me that he’s just shifting his stance on legalization and marijuana again in order to appeal to Clinton’s voters to get those additional votes.

But maybe the real reason behind Trump’s hesitation in giving an solid actual statement about legalization could be his constituent’s demographics. Based on a PEW survey conducted in February last year, a majority of the GOP voters who are 36 years old and above are against the legalization of marijuana. However, the party’s millennials who make up 67% of the voters, are pro-legalization.

But then again we also need to consider the fact that millennials are known to be absent on voting day, so most of the votes will come from baby boomers and other groups.

It could go in either direction: Donald Trump might be our best bud when it comes to marijuana legalization. He could simply be the best thing that ever happened to cannabis reform. But if things don’t go that way, everything could go up in smoke.

Will A Trump Presidency Kill Medical Marijuana In The USA?