John Hickenlooper on Drugs Democratic Presidential Challenger (withdrew, Aug. 2019); CO Governor

Decriminalize marijuana at state level, but not federally

In a CNN town hall in March, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper said while he would not pursue legalization on a federal level, but that he believes the states should be allowed to move forward. "I would not ask the federal government to legalize it for everyone," Hickenlooper said. "But I think where states do legalize marijuana with the voters or through their general assembly, the federal government should get out of the way and allow them to get banking, allow them to look at systems by which you can have this experiment go on successfully."

As teen, grew his own marijuana before it was legal

• Once opposed to the idea of legalization of marijuana in Colorado, he has come around to it.
• He wrote in his memoir that when he was young he once tried to grow weed outside his bedroom window in Pennsylvania.

Marijuana legalization works, but leave it to states

I would not ask the federal government to legalize it for everyone. But I think where states do the federal government should get out of the way and allow them to be able to get banking, which we can't legally get in Colorado, so everything is supposed to go by cash. My dream would be the federal government to make sure that the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration regulate whether pesticides are used, that we get all the legal barriers to doing medical research around marijuana [removed].

Supports states permitting marijuana, not federal reform

National model for marijuana legalization

Voters passed legal pot, and I will uphold the voter's will

HICKENLOOPER: You know, at first, I opposed it. But our voters passed it 55-45. It's in our constitution. I took a solemn oath to support our constitution. The states have sovereignty [on this issue].

Q: You don't think it's clear that the federal government could stop you?

HICKENLOOPER: I don't think it is. It's never my choice to be in conflict with federal law. That being said, Senator Sessions said [in his confirmation hearings], "Enforcement of marijuana is not going to be a priority." Over 60% of American people are now in a state where either medical or recreational marijuana is legalized. It's become one of the great social experiments of our time.

Q: If this were on a ballot today, would you support it?

HICKENLOOPER: Well, I'm getting close.

First state to regulate legal sale of marijuana

The General Assembly agreed to a 15 percent excise tax to an initial 10 percent sales tax for recreational marijuana. For the sake of public safety, we set a legal limit of active THC, the psychoactive chemical in marijuana, that drivers can have in their blood so that juries have a benchmark to judge whether someone was too high to drive. The Colorado Department of Revenue created an innovative seed-to-sale tracking system. The rules were written. Recreational sales of marijuana would begin on January 1, 2014.

1989: Arrested for drunk driving; did community service

Regulatory regime to marijuana needs to be strengthened

Voters were "reckless" to legalize retail marijuana

The lunchtime debates between Hickenlooper and his gubernatorial challenger Bob Beauprez, and later Sen. Mark Udall and his Senate challenger Rep. Cory Gardner, were meant to focus on economic issues. The governor explained that he believed Coloradans lacked enough data about health effects in voting for retail pot, and suggested other states should take heed.

Failed War on Drugs paved way for pot legalization

Now it's legal, but keep marijuana out of the reach of kids

Now it's legal, but keep marijuana out of the reach of kids We need to expand our DUI law to keep our highways safe from those driving while impaired, and we must put in place consumer and

Rated B- by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance.

OnTheIssues.org interprets the 2016 NORML scores as follows:

• C-/D/F: "hard-on-drugs" stance (approx. 243 members)
• C: mixed record on drug reform (approx. 45 members)
• A/B: pro-drug-reform stance (approx. 293 members)

National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Law's mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to achieve the repeal of marijuana prohibition so that the responsible use of cannabis by adults is no longer subject to penalty.

NORML is a nonprofit, public-interest lobby that for more than 30 years has provided a voice for those Americans who oppose marijuana prohibition. We represent the interests of the tens of millions of Americans who smoke marijuana responsibly and believe the recreational and medicinal use of marijuana should no longer be a crime.

NORML supports the removal of all criminal penalties for the private possession & responsible use of marijuana by adults, including the cultivation for personal use, and the casual nonprofit transfers of small amounts. This model is called "decriminalization."

NORML additionally supports the development of a legally controlled market for marijuana, where consumers could purchase it from a safe, legal and regulated source. This model is referred to as "legalization."

NORML believes that marijuana smoking is not for kids and should only be used responsibly by adults. As with alcohol consumption, it must never be an excuse for misconduct or other bad behavior. Driving or operating heavy equipment while impaired from marijuana should be prohibited.

NORML strongly supports the right of patients to use marijuana as a medicine when their physician recommends it to relieve pain and suffering.

Lastly, NORML supports the right of farmers to commercially cultivate hemp for industrial purposes, such as food and fiber production.