Janet Mills on Drugs

	Janet Mills on Drugs

Time to better regulate the market for medical cannabis

While we are talking about cannabis, I want to say that the time has come to better regulate the medical market with testing and tracking requirements so that those consumers--just like recreational users--can be confident that those products are safe. If you are ingesting cannabis for medical reasons, you should want to know that you are not consuming pesticides or other contaminants that are going to make your health worse. We cannot continue to encourage the wild wild west of medical cannabis. Source: 2025 State of the State Address to the Maine legislature , Jan 28, 2025

Expert in substance abuse for every child welfare district

The drug epidemic is jeopardizing the safety, security and welfare of our youngest children as well as our adults. Substance use disorder is identified as a risk factor in 53% of cases when a child is removed from the home. I am directing the Department of Health and Human Services to embed a clinical expert in substance use disorder in every child welfare district in Maine to better recognize the influence of substance use, to navigate the risks to children, and to steer parents into treatment. Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Maine legislature , Feb 14, 2023

Signed 2019 law for regulating adult-use marijuana market

"Nearly four years after Mainers approved marijuana legalization at the ballot box, the will of the people will finally be effectuated," said the Marijuana Policy Project Deputy Director, one of the leaders of the 2016 campaign. "The delays were unfortunate and unnecessary, but in the end we've succeeded in replacing prohibition with a thoughtful policy that legalizes, regulates, and taxes marijuana sales for adults 21 and over," the MPP Director added.

Marijuana has been legal for adults 21 and older to grow and share since January 30, 2017. Legislation to establish rules and implement a regulated adult-use marijuana market was signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills on June 27, 2019.

Eleven states have legalized marijuana for adults 21 and over. The Marijuana Policy Project spearheaded the successful Yes on 1 legalization campaign in Maine and played a central role in the coalitions that passed initiatives to legalize and regulate marijuana in CO, AK, MA, MI, and NV.

Source: MPP.org press release on Maine voting record "Yes on 1" , Oct 8, 2020

Legalize recreational marijuana and bring in millions

Marijuana: Support ME's 2016 ballot initiative that legalized recreational marijuana use?

Mills: Yes. Properly implemented, could "bring millions into our state economy, create jobs, and end unjust & costly war on drugs."

Moody: Opposes, part of corrupt initiative process that led him to run for office. Can't test impairment, so legalization is a liability for employers.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Maine Governor race , Nov 1, 2018

Investigate role of opioid manufacturers in drug abuse

Mills said the coalition is investigating what role opioid manufacturers may have played in creating or prolonging the drug epidemic. "We need to get the genie back in the pill bottle; our society is awash in pills and it is killing us." She went on to say that the vast majority of people arrested for possession of heroin or fentanyl tell authorities that their substance abuse disorder began with painkiller prescriptions. Source: Press Herald on 2018 Maine Gubernatorial race , Oct 15, 2017

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*Other governors on Drugs:*			*Janet Mills on other issues:*
*ME Gubernatorial:* Angus King Ed Crockett Paul LePage Robert Charles Shenna Bellows *ME Senatorial:* Angus King David Costello Demi Kouzounas Susan Collins	*Mayoral/Gubernatorial races 2025* (seated Jan. 2026): NJ Governor: Mikie Sherrill (D), U.S. Rep. NJ-11. vs.Jack Ciattarelli (R), State Assemblyman (2011-2018). NYC Mayor: Zohran Mamdani (D), New York State Assembly, 2021-2025. vs.Andrew Cuomo (I), former governor of New York, 2011-2021. vs.Curtis Sliwa (R), CEO of the Guardian Angels. VA Governor: Abigail Spanberger (D), U.S.Rep., VA-7 (2019-2024). vs.Winsome Earle-Sears (R), Lt. Gov. 2022-2026. *Gubernatorial races 2026*: AK: Mike Dunleavy(R,term-limited) vs.Click Bishop(R) vs.Nancy Dahlstrom(R) vs.Tom Begich(D) AL: Kay Ivey(R,term-limited) vs.Doug Jones(D) vs.Tommy Tuberville(R) vs.Will Boyd(D) vs.Yolanda Flowers(D) AR: Sarah Huckabee Sanders(R,for re-election) vs.Fredrick Love(D) AZ: Katie Hobbs(D,for re-election) vs.Andy Biggs(R) vs.David Schweikert(R) vs.~~Karrin Taylor Robson~~(R,withdrew) CA: Gavin Newsom(D,term-limited) vs.Antonio Villaraigosa(D) vs.~~Eleni Kounalakis~~(D,Withdrew to run for state treasurer) vs.Eric Swalwell(D) vs.Tom Steyer(D) vs.Xavier Becerra(D) vs.Zoltan Istvan(L) CO: Jared Polis(D,term-limited) vs.Greg Lopez(R) vs.Michael Bennet(D) vs.Phil Weiser(D) CT: Ned Lamont(D,for re-election) vs.Ryan Fazio(R) vs.~~Jen Tooker~~(R,withdrew) FL: Ron DeSantis(R,term-limited) vs.Byron Donalds(R) vs.David Jolly(R) vs.Jason Pizzo(I) vs.Jerry Demings(D) GA: Brian Kemp(R,term-limited) vs.Brad Raffensperger(R) vs.Chris Carr(R) vs.Keisha Lance Bottoms(D) HI: Josh Green(D) (No opponent yet) IA: Kim Reynolds(R,retiring) vs.Brad Sherman (IA)(R) vs.Randy Feenstra(R) vs.Rob Sand(D) ID: Brad Little(R,for re-election) vs.Terri Pickens(D) IL: J.B. Pritzker(D,for re-election) vs.Darren Bailey(R) KS: Laura Kelly(D,term-limited) vs.Cindy Holscher(D) vs.Jeff Colyer(R) vs.Ty Masterson(R) vs.Vicki Schmidt(R) MA: Maura Healey(D,for re-election) vs.Mike Kennealy(R) MD: Wes Moore(D,for re-election) vs.Dan Cox(R) vs.Christopher Bouchat(R) ME: Janet Mills(D,term-limited) vs.Shenna Bellows(D) vs.Ed Crockett(I) vs.Robert Charles(R)	*Gubernatorial races 2026*: MI: Gretchen Whitmer(D,term-limited) vs.Aric Nesbitt(R) vs.Perry Johnson(R) vs.Jocelyn Benson(D) vs.John James(R) vs.Mike Cox(R) vs.Tom Leonard(R) vs.Mike Duggan(I) vs.~~Garlin Gilchrist~~(D,withdrew) MN: Tim Walz(D,retiring) vs.Jeff Johnson 2026(R) vs.Lisa Demuth(R) vs.Mike Lindell(R) vs.Scott Jensen(R) vs.Amy Klobuchar(D) NE: Jim Pillen(R,for re-election) vs.Lynne Walz(D) NH: Kelly Ayotte(R,for re-election) vs.Jon Kiper(D) NM: Michelle Lujan-Grisham(D,term-limited) vs.Deb Haaland(D) vs.Gregg Hull(R) vs.Steve Lanier(R) NV: Joe Lombardo(R) vs.Aaron Ford(D) NY: Kathy Hochul(D,for re-election) vs.Bruce Blakeman(R) vs.Larry Sharpe(L) vs.~~Antonio Delgado~~(D,withdrew) vs.~~Elise Stefanik~~(R,withdrew) OH: Mike DeWine(R,term-limited) vs.Vivek Ramaswamy(R) vs.Amy Acton(D) OK: Kevin Stitt(R,term-limited) vs.Charles McCall(R) vs.Cyndi Munson(D) vs.Jake Merrick(R) OR: Tina Kotek(D,for re-election) vs.Christine Drazan(R) PA: Josh Shapiro(D,for re-election) vs.Ken Krawchuk(L) vs.Stacy Garrity(R) RI: Dan McKee(D,for re-election) vs.Helena Foulkes(D) vs.Aaron Guckian(R) SC: Henry McMaster(R,term-limited) vs.Jermaine Johnson(D) vs.Nancy Mace(R) vs.Ralph Norman(R) SD: Larry Rhoden(R,for re-election) vs.Dusty Johnson(R) vs.Jon Hansen(R) vs.~~Marty Jackley~~(R,withdrew) TN: Bill Lee(R,term-limited) vs.Marsha Blackburn(R) vs.Carnita Atwater(D) TX: Greg Abbott(R,for re-election) vs.Chris Bell(D) vs.Gina Hinojosa(D) VT: Phil Scott(R) (No opponent yet) WI: Tony Evers(D,retiring) vs.Mandela Barnes(D) vs.Sara Rodriguez(D) vs.Kelda Roys(D) vs.Francesca Hong(D) vs.Tom Tiffany(R) WY: Mark Gordon(R,term-limited) vs.Eric Barlow(R) vs.Megan Degenfelder(R)	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Local Issues Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty [Title9]