« This weekend's must-watch: 13th, Ava DuVernay's new documentary linking slavery and mass incarceration | Main | Reviewing the nature and stakes for death penalty ballot initiatives in three states »
October 7, 2016
Am I crazy to actually be expecting a marijuana (or drug war/opioid) question during Sunday's town-hall Prez debate?
Especially because neither marijuana reform nor the opioid epidemic came up during the the first Prez debate (or the VP debate), I am actually anticipating that these topics will be raised in some way during the town-hall debate scheduled for this coming Sunday. As regular readers of my Marijuana Law, Policy and Reform blog might guess, I think the very best question to ask the candidates could link these topics. Specifically, here is the question I would love to see asked on Sunday:
"Given the evidence emerging from a number of early studies that opioid use and abuse has generally been reduced in those states that have reformed their marijuana laws, will you commit your Administration in its first 100 days to move federal law away from blanket marijuana prohibition?"
I welcome readers to suggest their own questions on these topics in the comments (and recent posts at my other blog provides plenty of ideas for all sorts of possible questions):
-
"Obama’s Opioid Offensive Again Ignores the Cannabis Solution"
-
Noting the good being done with huge tax revenues from marijuana reform in Colorado
-
"Are Religious People Less Likely to Support Marijuana Legalization?"
-
Highlighting effective media coverage of California's marijuana legalization initiative
-
New poll suggests Pine Tree state voters are likely to legalize recreation marijuana this November
-
Is recreational marijuana reform initiative likely to fail (badly) in Arizona?
- "Marijuana really can be deadly – when encountering police officers"
-
"Legalizing Marijuana: It Changes Policing, But May Leave Racial Disparities"
-
Effective review of the nine state with marijuana initiatives going to voters this November
October 7, 2016 at 10:01 AM | Permalink
Comments
I wouldn't require the "100 days" comment myself. The question posed does open up various answers. It clearly implies general use though 'blanket' might merely be addressed by medicinal use (e.g., expand the current funding provision to simply make it legal under federal law, at least if it is legal in that state or federal area like Puerto Rico).
Also, would each candidate allow a local option for recreational use. The question posed provides a policy reason for this; it could also be phrased as a matter of federalism and local control. If a question to Trump, his position on allowing states to ban abortion more readily can be cited to see his consistency.
Posted by: Joe | Oct 7, 2016 10:37:31 AM
Opioid question might be more likely given location of debate and the fact that the participants are undecided voters. I can't see federal law on marijuana being significant to the likely audience in this debate.
Posted by: tmm | Oct 7, 2016 3:10:08 PM
"Clinton and Trump will face questions from audience members and some selected from social media or other sources, according to the debate commission."
http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/07/politics/presidential-debate-viewers-guide/
I don't know. Undecided voters from that set can have at least one with such a question; if the questions are pre-screened, they might be interested in picking one. Marijuana is the sort of thing that many people are personally concerned about, it's relatable to the average person as compared to various other things.
Posted by: Joe | Oct 7, 2016 6:18:15 PM
