Contributor: David Stiller
Even the word “politics” gives me a headache. There is simply too much inherent arguing and conflict surrounding things of this nature. Which is probably why we are always told to keep that yucky “P-Word” out of most conversations. However, we cannot live our entire lives with our heads buried in the sand. If we ever want to bring about real change to this nation, that has been ruined by our latest Commander-In-Chief, we will need to do our due diligence and research the upcoming presidential candidates as thoroughly as we possibly can.
Sure, there’s a laundry list of topics and policies that need to be discussed in an open forum, but one of the most glaring issues that I (and the rest of the cannabis community) cares about is marijuana. The way the federal government has treated cannabis is a crime. The way they outrageously categorize cannabis as a Schedule 1 narcotic is equal parts depressing and laughable.
There are no similarities between cannabis and its actually lethal counterparts in this regard. There is also no sense in keeping it weighed down with unjustifiable, negative stigma by continuing to justify this miscategorization. If anything, marijuana has powered through this negativity, and more and more citizens of this nation are starting to embrace it for the helpful, beneficial, therapeutic medicine that it actually is. With the presidential primaries right around the corner, more and more candidates are beginning to realize what side of the legalization fence they want to be on.
Everybody knows about Bernie Sanders. This man has been on the right side of things his entire life. Everything from civil rights to healthcare, this courageous politician is doing everything in his power to provide the people of this great nation with everything they need to live a better life. That includes nationwide legalization and decriminalization of cannabis. But we, ultimately, expected this stance from Bernie. It’s his constituents in the political field that we are unsure about.
One of the lesser-talked-about candidates throwing his hat in the ring for this upcoming 2020 election is Pete Buttigieg. This Indiana mayor knows that he needs to set himself apart from the pack in any way he can. While a handful of his competitors are too timid to tell the public how they really feel about marijuana, this small town politician decided it was high time to educate himself on the ever-growing cannabis industry. Which is exactly what prompted him to make a trip down to Las Vegas to visit a couple dispensaries and grow houses.
Specifically, Buttigieg made a couple stops at Top Notch THC Dispensary and GFive Cultivation. Though he spent under two hours at each location, he was provided with a wealth of information and knowledge about cannabis, and the industry, as a whole, that proved to be quite eye-opening for the humble lawmaker from Indiana. Now, keep in mind that Indiana doesn’t even provide legalized medicinal marijuana to its citizens. If I had to make any sort of educated guess as to why, I would say that it harbors back to their steadfast stubbornness and outdated form of thinking – which is usually molded by how the federal government reacts to things, in this case cannabis. But, with more and more people in Washington starting to warm up to the idea of nationwide legalization, so are many people from Middle America. Especially in farm rich states, such as Indiana.
While in Vegas, Buttigieg was frank about his stance on marijuana. He also didn’t shy away from calling out folks who continue to “live in the past” with outdated views and opinions on cannabis.
Specifically, Buttigieg said, “I think people have a certain imagery of dispensaries and the marijuana industry that dates back to outdated stereotypes. When you go to a place like this, it almost reminds you of an Apple Store, how tidy and carefully it’s laid out. Knowledgeable employees and a legitimate business.” Adding, “It’s still a struggle because federal policy hasn’t caught up. It has been very helpful to see for myself.”
Yes, that does sort of make him sound like a “rube.” But the fact that he’s not only willing to change his stance on cannabis, but wanting to change other people’s views on it, is a major step in the right direction. The more these politicians know about the current state of cannabis, and the industry, the better. They, much like Buttigieg, will see the tremendous progress that has taken place. Gone are the days of seedy establishments skimming money off the top and avoiding taxation. Dispensaries are becoming more and more legitimate, and the federal approval of cannabis would only increase that legitimacy.
What’s even better is Buttigieg is coming from a good, moral place. He, himself, is a combat veteran with almost a decade of service under his belt. When asked about his personal relationship with cannabis, he admitted to partaking in it in the past, but never really made it a part of his life, or lifestyle.
He was quick to give respect and admiration to those that do – specifically fellow veterans that he’s met. These brave men and women have expressed that the use of cannabis has helped them deal with post-service mental and physical injuries, the most common one being PTSD.
Buttigieg is more than in favor of legalizing medicinal and recreational use of marijuana – not just in Indiana, but all across America. He plans to put that into immediate action if he is elected president. When asked to elaborate on his stance, Buttigieg stated, “Legitimate medical use of cannabis should be covered as any therapy ought to be. It should go through the same highly-rigorous process that any pharmaceutical therapy would.”
We couldn’t agree more. The cannabis industry is more than deserving of legitimacy on a federal level. For far too long, these hardworking companies have had to jump through way too many hoops in order to provide their beneficial services and products to those who really need it to live better lives. The fact that the government is only now starting to see the error in their ways is frustrating, but relieving.
Like Bernie, Buttigieg isn’t shy about promoting the overall legalization of cannabis. I’m sure we’ll see this as one of the more important talking points during the debates. And rightfully so, there is so much to gain from nationwide legalization, both medicinally and monetarily, that it only makes sense to do away with past points of view, and replace them with more educated and thoughtful stances on cannabis. Which is something these candidates should focus on during their campaign trails.
Will Bernie and Buttigieg be the only ones promoting cannabis legalization during their future speeches and appearances? Likely not. Buttigieg wasn’t even the first politician to stop by a couple Vegas dispensaries, in hopes of learning more about the industry. Back in April, presidential hopeful, Andrew Yang, made a similar trip to Sin City to check out the current state of affairs. He, too, was more than in favor of legalization and proper regulation for this country. Hopefully, we’ll start to see this pro-marijuana trend continue onward into the election. Fingers crossed.
