"The continued federal prohibition of marijuana is outdated, inconsistent with public opinion, and harmful to public policy. While 24 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized adult-use cannabis and more than 38 permit medical use, federal law still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug—on par with heroin. This contradiction hampers states’ ability to regulate effectively and criminalizes conduct that is legal under state law.

Ending federal prohibition would bring clarity to state and federal jurisdictions, allow banks to serve cannabis businesses without fear of federal penalties, and permit scientific research long restricted by Schedule I classification. It would also remove the unjust burden of marijuana-related convictions, which disproportionately affect communities of color, and enable expungement of past records.

Legal cannabis is now a multibillion-dollar industry. Federal legalization would allow for taxation, regulation, consumer safety oversight, and interstate commerce—all of which are currently limited or legally ambiguous. Public support is overwhelming: over two-thirds of Americans favor legalization.

Maintaining prohibition only reinforces inequality, restricts economic opportunity, and contradicts the lived reality in most of the country. It is time for Congress to align federal law with evidence, justice, and public will by ending the federal prohibition of marijuana." (candidate survey response)

On expungement: "Automatic expungement of non-violent marijuana possession convictions is a critical step toward repairing decades of unjust and disproportionate enforcement. As states and communities move to legalize or decriminalize cannabis, it is both hypocritical and harmful to allow past convictions to remain on the records of individuals who engaged in behavior that is now legal or tolerated.

A criminal record—even for a minor marijuana offense—can block access to jobs, housing, education, and professional licenses. These lingering penalties extend punishment long after a sentence is served and disproportionately affect people of color, who have historically borne the brunt of marijuana-related arrests and prosecutions.

Making expungement automatic is essential. Many affected individuals are unaware of the process or lack the time, resources, or legal assistance to navigate it. A just system should not require people to jump through bureaucratic hoops to reclaim rights that should never have been taken away.

Automatic expungement is not about erasing history—it is about acknowledging that the law has changed and that justice requires we apply that change fairly and retroactively. As cannabis reform continues nationwide, this measure is a necessary act of equity, efficiency, and common sense. No one should be held back in life for a conviction that never should have happened." (candidate survey response)

"I was 19 when I began using marijuana, and I believe my marijuana use in January 1971, when I was a college sophomore was responsible because I smoked it with my mother at our kitchen table! But even when I was 14, I saw adults using marijuana responsibly in my workplace, my uncle's men's pants store in downtown Brooklyn on Fulton Street, The Slack Bar, where my adult Black and Puerto Rican co-workers occasionally smoked marijuana recreationally in the basement. My grandfather, a tailor who did alterations for the customers (I was the cashier), did not let me go down there after or during that because he said I was too young to get what he explained to me was a "contact high." He had told me that he had jazz musician acquaintances who he had seen smoking marijuana in the 1920s, and that it was not a dangerous drug like heroin or cocaine. Our family was friends with the great jazz drummer Gene Krupa -- I think through my cousin, the klezmer musician Sammy Musiker -- and I often heard the story of how Gene appeared at a family wedding just after his conviction for possession of marijuana had been overturned by an appellate court in California and how he was treated as a conquering hero. My brother sold marijuana while he and I still lived in our family home and our parents were not disapproving of it. I used marijuana only with other people, mostly at parties -- I have never drunk alcohol because I am allergic to it -- and the only advice I got from older friends was not to drive while I was under the influence in marijuana when I felt I could because they said it could be dangerous, so after that one time, I never did so again.

Members of my family have used marijuana for medical purposes. Now 74, that is all I use it for now, and since a short-term condidtion cleared up, I have not used marijuana for years. It has not been an important part of my life, but I have seen little harm from it and a lot of good. I support the responsible use of marijuana and its complete legalization." (candidate survey response)

"Decriminalizing the simple possession of marijuana is a necessary and pragmatic step toward a more just and equitable legal system. Arresting and prosecuting individuals for possessing small amounts of cannabis needlessly burdens courts, law enforcement, and taxpayers—without improving public safety or health outcomes. It diverts resources from serious crimes while imposing life-altering consequences on people for nonviolent behavior that a majority of Americans no longer believe should be criminal.

The criminalization of possession disproportionately impacts Black and Latino communities, despite similar usage rates across racial groups. A marijuana possession charge can lead to loss of employment, housing, educational opportunities, and even child custody—penalties far out of proportion to the conduct involved.

Decriminalizing simple possession is not just about marijuana—it’s about fairness, public health, and effective governance. It reflects evolving public values and frees up law enforcement to focus on real threats to community safety. It’s time for federal and state governments to end the era of punitive policies for personal cannabis use.

From 30 years ago in 1995: https://who-will-kiss-the-pig.blogspot.com/2009/01/gainesville-sun-interviews-richard.html

From 45 years ago in 1980: a review of my book mentioning my marijuana use and my uncle's medical marijuana use: 

https://who-will-kiss-the-pig.blogspot.com/2008/12/hollywood-fla-sun-tattler-reviews.html

From 15 years ago in 2010: on a concert at which a local preacher took my advice not to disparage marijuana among teens:

https://who-will-kiss-the-pig.blogspot.com/2010/08/monday-night-in-east-flatbush-salt-n.html" (candidate survey response)

"Medical marijuana should be legal across the United States to ensure that all patients—regardless of geography—have access to safe, effective, and compassionate treatment. Extensive scientific and anecdotal evidence shows that cannabis can alleviate symptoms of chronic pain, epilepsy, cancer treatment side effects, PTSD, and neurological disorders. Denying patients access to these benefits under federal law is both inhumane and unsupported by modern medical research.

Currently, more than 38 states permit medical cannabis use, but federal prohibition creates barriers to research, restricts physician guidance, and limits patient access—particularly among veterans and those in federally funded care systems. Patients in legal states still face stigma, legal ambiguity, and restricted employment or housing rights because cannabis remains a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act.

Legalizing medical marijuana at the federal level would enable standardized quality control, consistent labeling, and regulation to ensure safety and efficacy. It would also allow doctors—not politicians—to make decisions based on the best interests of their patients. Medical cannabis is not a radical concept—it is a rational, evidence-based policy that prioritizes human well-being over outdated ideology.

For the sake of science, compassion, and patient autonomy, federal law must reflect what most Americans already support: the legal use of marijuana for medical purposes. My own family members have benefited greatly from the legal use of marijuana for various medical conditions." (candidate survey response)