Democratic Candidate for Governor
1. Do you currently support the use of medical marijuana for people who have debilitating conditions including chronic pain?
Yes, I am likely the only candidate in this race that has prescribed medical marijuana to a past patient. I absolutely support medical marijuana use.
2. Do you currently support medical marijuana cultivation facilities and provisioning centers?
Yes
3. Do you currently support the legal cultivation and sales of cannabis to adults that do not have a debilitating medical condition?
Yes, we need to legalize marijuana.
4. Do you currently support the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol proposal to regulate and tax cannabis for adults over 21?
Yes
5. Do you support the position that adults 21 and over should have the ability to cultivate cannabis at their residence?
Yes
6. Do you support the position that people who consume cannabis responsibly should be subjected to employment discrimination?
No, this practice is unacceptable.
7. Do you support the position that people who consume cannabis responsibly should be subjected to housing discrimination?
No, as state above, this is unacceptable.
8. Do you support private clubs where people can socially consume cannabis products?
Yes
9. If Michigan voters legalize cannabis for adults, would you support the expungement of cannabis convictions from people’s criminal record?
Yes, I would unequivocally support expungement. Additionally, it is well known that cannabis-related arrests and sentencing disproportionately affect low income communities of color, we must address this overtly racist inequity, and ensuring that all non-violent cannabis related convictions are expunged after legalization is a start.
10. Are there any additional comments you wish to make?
At this moment, a few things are very clear. First, marijuana is no more (if not less) dangerous than other legal substances such as alcohol or nicotine. Second, the state of Michigan will more than likely vote to legalize recreational marijuana in 2018. What is not clear however is what will happen after legalization, and if we can ensure that the benefits of this new commodity are accessible to all. My administration would focus on empowering local and small businesses to reap the benefits of recreational legalization over large corporations. We must level the playing field for sale and distribution by ensuring access to capital for small businesses looking to get a foothold in this emerging industry. Additionally, it is imperative that we tax the sale of recreational marijuana and invest that money back into the community to rebuild our crumbling roads, bridges and schools. We must also ensure that we as a state are investing in research into the benefits of marijuana for the treatment of disease. The legalization of recreational marijuana will have tremendous benefits for our state and it is incumbent upon our elected representatives to ensure that those benefits are felt by all. My administration would make this a priority.