Each election cycle, we grade the lots of the presidential candidates based mostly on their observe document with hashish (right here’s our abstract of 2020’s primary candidates). We kicked off 2024 with our evaluation of incumbent President Joe Biden (Grade C), and adopted up with Republican challenger Ron DeSantis (Grade C+), who lately dropped out of the race and endorsed Donald Trump. Most lately, we coated Nikki Haley (Grade B-), one other longshot challenger who remains to be round.
Right this moment, I wish to do one thing somewhat uncommon and have a look at an impartial candidate, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. RFK Jr. initially bought within the race as a major challenger to President Biden, however dropped out of the Democratic race in October to run as an impartial.
General Grade: A-
RFK Jr. was a long-shot candidate from the beginning, as evidenced by his leaving the Democratic race in favor of an impartial race. However on the subject of hashish, is extra prepared to entertain large overhauls to federal hashish legal guidelines than Biden or Trump (nearly assured to be the Republican nominee). For that motive, I’m giving RFK. Jr. an A- on the hashish scale. Right here’s why:
RFK Jr.’s views on drug coverage reform are reportedly formed on his personal prior struggles with dependancy. Early in his presidential marketing campaign, when he was nonetheless within the Democratic race, RFK Jr. stated he would legalize hashish and even psychedelics–a view he has repeatedly affirmed. Extra lately, as an impartial candidate, he launched advertisements noting that he needed to decriminalize hashish to give attention to dependancy remedy.
So what would an RFK Jr. hashish plan seem like in motion? We all know that he proposes to (a) legalize hashish and permit for state regulation, (b) impose federal taxes on it, (c) be sure that hashish companies have banking entry, (d) use hashish taxes to fund dependancy remedy, and (e) in response to his web site, “grant amnesty to nonviolent drug offenders.” We don’t have too many specifics on what this may seem like in motion, nevertheless it’s leagues forward of President Biden or former President Trump, each of whom I’ll come again to beneath.
Why RFK Jr. solely will get an A-
I selected to offer RFK Jr. an A- as an alternative of a better grade for 2 causes. First, at this stage his plan lacks implementation element. For instance, we don’t know what sort of tax price he’d impose at a federal stage, and a excessive one would clearly be a burden on the trade. So I believed it greatest to order judgment till we all know extra.
Second, I’m at all times very skeptical of legalization efforts that begin out with the premise {that a} hashish tax will remedy and even put a dent in some urgent social drawback. Look no additional than my dwelling state of California. I agree with RFK Jr. that the states needs to be free to manage hashish, however imposing a federal tax will simply add to operators’ already heavy plates except states or municipalities are concurrently precluded from hashish taxation. And that’s not going to occur.
So, with these items in thoughts, I gave RFK Jr. an A-. It’s nonetheless far forward of the competitors.
How does RFK Jr. examine to the principle social gathering contenders
The 2024 elections are uncommon within the sense that the 2 primary social gathering challengers each have had stints within the Oval Workplace. (Sure I do know Nikki Haley remains to be within the race for now, however let’s be actual). Former President Donald Trump didn’t have an ideal observe document on hashish whereas in workplace. His largest accomplishment, for my part, was eradicating hemp from the Managed Substances Act. We’ll be popping out with a put up on this collection on Trump quickly. With out revealing an excessive amount of, he received’t get even near RFK Jr. on hashish regulation points.
President Biden has been higher, however nowhere close to as transformative as many had hoped. Within the 2020 election cycle, we gave him a D based mostly largely on his congressional observe document. This time, we gave him a C. The rationale for the advance is that he’s granted a collection of pardons for smaller federal hashish offenses, and since he kicked off the executive assessment that might result in hashish being rescheduled. That stated, Biden has had the chance to work with Congress to go some form of hashish reform invoice that may have extra tooth, however simply hasn’t.
RFK Jr. undoubtedly has loads of unconventional and controversial views and positions. However on the subject of advancing an affordable change in federal drug coverage, he’s undoubtedly leagues forward of each Biden and Trump. Whereas one other Kennedy presidency is unlikely on this election season, possibly one of many massive ticket candidates will comply with go well with.
