Something very shocking happened today. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie came out in support of ending the ‘failed war on drugs.’ It’s not shocking to hear a politician get on the drug reform bandwagon these days – more and more politicians are getting on the right side of history daily. However, when someone who has fought against reform as hard as Chris Christie comes out in support of reform, I can’t help but wonder what changed his mind?
“We will end the failed war on drugs that believes that incarceration is the cure of every ill caused by drug abuse. We will make drug treatment available to as many of our non-violent offenders as we can and we will partner with our citizens to create a society that understands that every life has value and no life is disposable.” stated Chris Christie during his speech.
Russ Belville wrote an article recently about Chris Christie’s opposition to marijuana reform:
“But the Republican governor of New Jersey, the redundantly-named presidential-aspirant Chris Christie, isn’t as progressive as a Utah Republican when it comes to saving kids’ lives. Christie has pushed through regulations on the New Jersey state program that limit the strains and potency of medical marijuana, making it impossible for the Wilsons to get the high-CBD oil that would save Vivian’s life. The legislature listened to Meghan and Brian and is currently passing a law that would allow patients to bring in marijuana products from other medical marijuana states.
Gov. Christie has vowed to veto that legislation. He has said he will never expand the medical marijuana program in any way, because that’s what the marijuana legalizers want and marijuana will never be legalized in New Jersey on his watch. He’s even put forth a “slippery slope” argument where importing an edible non-psychoactive marijuana extract from Colorado to save the lives of epileptic kids inexorably leads to teenagers smoking joints and stoned mayhem on the turnpike.”
If Chris Christie truly wants to end the ‘failed war on drugs’ he can start by supporting medical marijuana patients who desperately need their medicine. If he truly wants to ‘create a society that understands that every life has value and no life is disposable’ he won’t stand in the way of safe access. How do TWB readers feel about Chris Christie’s comments? Do you think he is sincere? Or is he just trying to throw around meaningless rhetoric in order to get some press, or some other reason?
