In July of 2018, Sandy Pensler openly "oppose[d] efforts to legalize recreational marijuana, but...said he would respect the will of voters if they approve a ballot measure this fall." (The Detroit News)

When asked in 2018, "Should the federal government decriminalize marijuana? Why or why not?," Pensler Responded: "Marijuana under the federal controlled substance act is a schedule 1 controlled substance with high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. It is illegal. However, an amendment was put in place, which prohibits the federal government from prosecuting its use for medical purposes. Now, 31 states have legalized some form of medical marijuana. The federal government should perform rigorous testing to properly determine the medicinal, mental and addictive effects, if any, of the drug so that we can determine the appropriate course of action." (Huron Daily Tribune)