Sunday Political Talk Show interviews during 2020-2024: on Drugs

Josh Shapiro: After research I support legalizing recreational marijuana

Pennsylvania's top law enforcement officer is joining several other top state Democratic officials in backing the legalization of marijuana for recreational use by adults. Attorney General Josh Shapiro said that he changed his mind after months of internal research and discussions with law enforcement colleagues. "Continuing to criminalize adult personal marijuana use is a waste of limited law enforcement resources, it disproportionately impacts our minority communities and it does not make us safer. We must also expunge records of those with non-violent marijuana use convictions," Shapiro said.

Shapiro's announcement comes two days after Gov. Tom Wolf made a similar announcement that he supports it. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman and Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, both Democrats, have long supported the idea, too. However, leaders of the Republican-controlled Legislature have pushed back forcefully and said they oppose it.

Source: CBS News on 2024 Vice Presidential hopefuls Sep 27, 2019

Donald Trump: FactCheck: Executing drug dealers doesn't save lives

[Trump said countries] "that don't have a drug problem are ones that institute a death penalty sentence for drug dealers." Is that true?

There are 7 countries with "high application" of capital punishment for drug offenses, according to hri.global. Do those 7 countries have the fewest drug problems? We'll compare deaths from drugs per million people, from WorldLifeExpectancy.com--there's no pattern:

LOW
3 Singapore
4 Indonesia
MEDIUM
11 Malaysia
13 Vietnam
13 China
20 Saudi Arabia
HIGH
26 Iran
213 United States

So highly applying capital punishment has not moved countries into low drug death rates--except for Singapore and Indonesia. But when Iran & China highly apply capital punishment for drugs, they don't get low drug death rates. Many countries DO achieve low drug death rates WITHOUT capital punishment for drugs--like Italy, Kenya, Japan, and more. It's inaccurate that EVERY country with low drug deaths gets there via capital punishment. Source: OnTheIssues FactCheck: The Hill: 2024 Presidential hopefuls Jul 26, 2022

Donald Trump: Execute a drug dealer, and you'll save 500 lives

Former President Trump voiced support for imposing the death penalty as punishment for convicted drug dealers as part of a speech in which he laid out a series of drastic measures to curb crime: "The penalties should be very, very severe. If you look at countries throughout the world, the ones that don't have a drug problem are ones that institute a very quick trial death penalty sentence for drug dealers," Trump said at the America First Policy Institute.

"It sounds horrible, doesn't it? But you know what? That's the ones that don't have any problem. It doesn't take 15 years in court. It goes quickly, and you absolutely--you execute a drug dealer, and you'll save 500 lives," Trump continued.

"It's terrible to say, but you take a look at every country in this world that doesn't have a problem with drugs, they have a very strong death penalty for people that sell drugs," he said.

Source: The Hill e-zine on 2024 Presidential hopefuls Jul 26, 2022

The above quotations are from Interviews and analysis of presidential hopefuls for 2024. Click here for definitions & background information on Drugs. Click here for other issues (main summary page). Click here for more quotes by Mike Pence on Drugs. Click here for more quotes by Kamala Harris on Drugs.
*2024 Presidential contenders on Drugs:*
	*Candidates for President & Vice-President:* V.P.Kamala Harris (D-CA) Robert F. Kennedy Jr.(I-CA) Chase Oliver(L-GA) Dr.Jill Stein(D-MA) Former Pres.Donald Trump(R-FL) Sen.J.D.Vance(R-OH) Gov.Tim Walz(D-MN) Dr.Cornel West(I-NJ)	*2024 presidential primary contenders:* Pres.Joe_Biden(D-DE) N.D.Gov.Doug Burgum(R) N.J.Gov.Chris_Christie(R) Fla.Gov.Ron_DeSantis(R) S.C.Gov.Nikki_Haley(R) Ark.Gov.Asa_Hutchinson(R) Former V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN) U.S.Rep.Dean_Phillips(D-MN) Vivek_Ramaswamy(R-OH) S.C.Sen.Tim_Scott(R)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org! Click for details -- or send donations to: 1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140 E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org (We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Nov 03, 2024