Democrat for Michigan House of Representatives – 6th District
1. Do you currently support the use of medical marijuana for people who have debilitating conditions including chronic pain?
Yes – marijuana has a proven track-record of helping patients and I am proud of supporting medical marijuana back in 2008. I also support full recreational legalization of marijuana.
2. Do you currently support medical marijuana cultivation facilities and provisioning centers?
Yes – the marijuana industry supports small business owners and helps bring new wealth into our communities.
3. Do you currently support the legal cultivation and sales of cannabis to adults that do not have a debilitating medical condition?
Yes – I will help in the fight for legalized recreational marijuana in Michigan and will be an advocate to ensure that the recreational system doesn’t become over-regulated and turn into a corporate handout. I believe that the green economy should put people and small businesses first, not corporate profits
4. Do you currently support the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol proposal to regulate and tax cannabis for adults over 21?
Yes and I am happy to be a signatory to the ballot initiative.
5. Do you support the position that adults 21 and over should have the ability to cultivate cannabis at their residence?
Yes – consistent with local agricultural ordinances, individuals should be able to cultivate their own plants.
6. Do you support the position that people who consume cannabis responsibly should be subjected to employment discrimination?
No – people who are acting in a safe and responsible manner should not be discriminated against at their job. I support MIOSHA regulations that ensure safety at the workplace, and will work to ensure that these regulations are not abused to hurt cannabis users who are able to perform their job well and pose no safety risks to their coworkers or the public at large.
7. Do you support the position that people who consume cannabis responsibly should be subjected to housing discrimination?
No- no one should be denied housing due to their use of cannabis. Landlords have the right to request that tenants not smoke inside their properties, but not to regulate the private behavior of those seeking to live there.
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. The ‘War on Drugs’ has criminalized people, not behavior. It’s time that, after several decades, several billions of dollars, and tens of thousands of lives have been lost, that we end the war and give its victims a fair chance to start a new life.
10. Are there any additional comments you wish to make?
Legalizing marijuana opens up new avenues for us to address the real problems of substance abuse in our community. People who are hooked on damaging substances like crack cocaine, heroine, or devastating drugs like Crocodile are victims and must be treated as such. I propose earmarking tax revenue from recreational marijuana to fund drug treatment courts throughout the state, enabling non-violent drug offenders a chance to receive treatment rather than a felony. Additional funds should be directed to reentry programs for returning citizens, helping them get the training and resources they need to become established in a job and on their feet.