2020 WV Governor's race: on Drugs
Ben Salango:
For medical marijuana; roadside test for recreational use
Both men said they would support medical marijuana but wouldn't immediately support recreational marijuana use in West Virginia.
Salango said he would support legalizing recreational marijuana use in the state if a roadside test for marijuana is developed, similar to that of a breathalyzer test for alcohol.
Source: Charleston Gazette-Mail: 2020 West Virginia Governor debate
Oct 13, 2020
Woody Thrasher:
Focus on treatment, prevention, helping families
Q: What do you see as the role of the legislature in addressing the opioid crisis?Thrasher: I would work directly with the Legislature to lead efforts to recovery, including focused strategies for treatment, prevention, supporting law enforcement,
workforce training and helping families. We will add treatment centers, increase long-term treatment beds, ensure prosecution of dealers to the fullest extent of the law and partner with the private and nonprofit sectors to help solve this crisis.
Source: Williamson Daily News on 2020 West Virginia governor race
Mar 24, 2020
Jim Justice:
Jobs & Hope: $29.7 million to guide people in recovery
Gov. Jim Justice, who is running for re-election last week kicked off the Jobs & Hope program that combines recovery efforts with workforce training. The concept previously had been called "Jim's Dream.""This started with just a dream," Justice said
last week. "We've got drugs affecting every family in this state, one way or another. We have to do something about it."
Jobs & Hope includes $29.7 million in funding for its first year and employs transition agents to guide people in recovery as
they overcome obstacles such as transportation and move toward job training.
[Democratic opponent Woody] Thrasher, speaking on MetroNews "Talkline," said the Justice administration has dealt too inconsistently with a pervasive problem. "There
is no concerted effort and plan to deal with this problem in West Virginia," Thrasher said. "We have to do better than we're doing.
Source: W.V. MetroNews on 2020 West Virginia Gubernatorial race
Oct 24, 2019
Michael Folk:
Government can't solve drug problem; only community can
Woody Thrasher says the opioid problem is such a crisis that the state should have the option of executing drug dealers whose sales result in death. "I think it should be considered when you look at the havoc they wreak on society,"
Thrasher said on MetroNews' "Talkline."Republican candidate Mike Folk, a former state delegate, says government won't solve the problem. "People and the community will," Folk said.
Source: W.V. MetroNews on 2020 West Virginia Gubernatorial race
Oct 24, 2019
Ron Stollings:
Addiction is a disease; integrate recovery into primary care
Woody Thrasher's suggestion of applying capital punishment to drug deals that result in fatalities drew a swift rebuke from state Senator Ron Stollings, a Democrat and doctor who is also running for governor. "I just think it's ridiculous," Stolling
said. "We don't have a death penalty in West Virginia. I don't think it would curb a drug deal. These drug dealers are not fazed by punishment or anything like that. A lot of them are addicted also. The definition of addiction means you do crazy stuff.
Everybody wants to criminalize addiction and you can't. You have to treat addiction or substance use disorder as a chronic illness."Stollings and Thrasher each attended a public hearing to roll out a West Virginia Substance Use Response Plan.
Stollings emphasized integrating recovery programs into primary care, as well as strengthening services to support children affected by family drug addiction in the first few years of their lives. He also wants to focus on how settlement money is used.
Source: W.V. MetroNews on 2020 West Virginia Gubernatorial race
Oct 24, 2019
Stephen Noble Smith:
Rapidly expand access to drug treatment services
Stephen Smith, a community organizer running as a Democrat, proposes on his website to rapidly expand access to drug treatment services and to focus on providing better access to jobs, housing and food for those facing addiction.
"We are the state that started the American revolution and powered the industrial revolution--we can lead our nation in showing how to solve the opioid and addiction epidemic too," Smith states on his website.
Source: W.V. MetroNews on 2020 West Virginia Gubernatorial race
Oct 24, 2019
Woody Thrasher:
Execute drug dealers whose sales result in death
Woody Thrasher says the opioid problem is such a crisis that the state should have the option of executing drug dealers whose sales result in death. "I think it should be considered when you look at the havoc they wreak on society; we should consider
the sternest of all measures," Thrasher said on MetroNews' "Talkline."The wording in Thrasher's platform is: "In drug crimes that result in death, including the sale of tainted drugs, when the guilt of a person is established beyond a reasonable
doubt, we should consider the death penalty." West Virginia abolished capital punishment in 1965.
Thrasher, speaking on "Talkline," said the Justice administration has dealt too inconsistently with a pervasive problem. "Those folks who are selling
fentanyl-based things, we've got to come down hard on them, Thrasher said. "We've got to come down with a hammer. There is no concerted effort and plan to deal with this problem in West Virginia," Thrasher said. "We have to do better than we're doing.
Source: W.V. MetroNews on 2020 West Virginia Gubernatorial race
Oct 24, 2019
Woody Thrasher:
Addiction is a disease; but no compassion for dealers
Capital punishment for fatal drug deals is only part of the broader set of proposals Thrasher released. Other proposals include increasing availability of treatment for people who need more than 90 days, providing more support for grandparents raising
children and breaking up the Department of Health and Human Resources.Thrasher emphasized that he believes addiction is a disease that needs to be treated with compassion. But the death penalty proposal stood out as one likely to stir debate.
Source: W.V. MetroNews on 2020 West Virginia Gubernatorial race
Oct 24, 2019
Ron Stollings:
Establish the Governor's Office of Substance Abuse
Stollings, a medical doctor, said he would establish the Governor's Office of Substance Abuse to focus on the impact of the opioid crisis. "How do we know how much we should receive in settlement dollars if we don't know how much prevention
and treatment programs will cost? This should be an effort coordinated by the Governor, in the Governor's Office," Stollings said in a news release.Stollings said, during an appearance on
MetroNews "Talkline," the state will continue to struggle to move forward until the opioid crisis is brought under control. "I do have potential input to right the ship here in
West Virginia," Stollings said. "I'm uniquely qualified with regard to the substance use disorder and its impact on businesses, the economy and the education system."
Source: W.V. MetroNews on 2020 West Virginia Gubernatorial race
Sep 23, 2019
Michael Folk:
Led push to force vote to legalize medical marijuana
Folk said previously, "There's never a wrong time to do the right thing."
Months earlier, Folk led a successful move to defy House Republican leaders and force a vote on a bill, which ultimately became law, to legalize the use of marijuana to treat some medical conditions.
Source: Herald-Mail on 2020 West Virginia Governor race
Feb 5, 2019
Page last updated: Dec 19, 2020
Beshear(D)
vs.