2020 WV Senate race: on Drugs


Paula Jean Swearengin: Hemp & cannabis can be cash crops for West Virginia

Kentucky has fostered a burgeoning hemp and marijuana industry. Hemp and cannabis can once again be a cash crop for West Virginia but in order to see real success we must decriminalize cannabis on a federal level and legalize production within our state.
Source: 2020 West Virginia Senate campaign website PaulaJean.com Jul 6, 2020

Paula Jean Swearengin: Address the causes of addiction; not severe punishments

Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

A: Addiction and the horrific deaths related to it are consuming our citizens and destroying families at an alarming rate. This is a public health crisis that cannot be met solely with severe punishments for street dealers. Congress must listen to the professionals who advocate for long term care, comprehensive cannabis policy, more strict regulation of pill mills, proper oversight of pharmaceuticals, and more resources to disrupt the fentanyl black market. We need to address the causes of addiction and the entrenched systems that feed it for profit. Congress can immediately act on removing federal roadblocks to legal medical and recreational cannabis. This would allow states to continue to reap the rewards of the economic boom and permit states like West Virginia to create jobs and join in the prosperity. Every effort should be made at both the state and federal level to accomplish this goal.

Source: Ballotpedia statement for 2020 West Virginia Senate race Apr 10, 2018

Paula Jean Swearengin: Hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for opioid crisis

One of the most tragic developments in West Virginia has been the devastating effects of opioid addiction. Paula Jean is fighting to allocate more money for local hospitals and provide access to quality health care for every West Virginian. We must hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in creating this national crisis and this includes federal legislation that pushes pharmaceutical companies to front a chunk of the bill in helping individuals acquire treatment and recovery.
Source: 2020 West Virginia Senate campaign website PaulaJean.com Jul 6, 2020

Richard Ojeda: An advocate for medical marijuana

Ojeda is an advocate for medical marijuana and it should be noted that he does have a business interest with a CBD oil company as a co-founder.
Source: 2020 West Virginia Senate campaign website VoteOjeda.com Mar 5, 2020

Richard Ojeda: Marijuana can be used for clinical, medical purposes

Marijuana is one of the most popular crop around the world. Use and sell of marijuana has been prohibited in many countries due to vast notions associated with Cannabis. Marijuana can be used for clinical purposes as well as for medical purposes. The clinical use of marijuana entails prescribing the drug to patients of cancer or those who have undergone chemotherapy.
Source: 2020 West Virginia Senate campaign website VoteOjeda.com Mar 5, 2020

Richard Ojeda: Supports medical marijuana, co-founded CBD oil company

Cannabis: Ojeda is an advocate for medical marijuana and it should be noted that he does have a business interest with a CBD oil company as a co-founder.
Source: 2020 West Virginia Senate campaign website VoteOjeda.com Jun 1, 2020

  • The above quotations are from 2020 West Virginia Senatorial race: debates and news coverage.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Drugs.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by West Virginia on Drugs.
  • Click here for more quotes by Shelley Moore Capito on Drugs.
Candidates and political leaders on Drugs:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Feb 14, 2023