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Mike Huckabee on Medical Marijuana and Drug Policy
This candidate has withdrawn from the election
"Let me just be very blunt. I don't support the idea. I think there are better ways to treat medical illnesses than the use of a drug that has really caused so many more people to have their lives injured than it has to necessarily have their lives helped. There are so many different ways in which, whether it's pain or other ways, I think we can deal with medical issues."
"I think the question is would I favor the legalization [of medical marijuana] at a federal level. And until there's some stronger scientific evidence I'm unlikely to do that."
HUCKABEE: "I don't support the idea of legalizing marijuana.... I don't think there are as many wonderful things to come from it as there are some dangers to come from it.... If they're targeting people, I'm not sure that makes good sense, but I wouldn't go and say that you shouldn't follow the law." Q: "...But you wouldn't end the [DEA raids in states that have passed laws to protect the use of marijuana for medical reasons]...?" HUCKABEE: "Probably not."
"Well, you know I'm going to leave it up to the DEA whether they feel like there is a person who is being arrested because they are suffering from AIDS or because they really are doing something to significantly violate drug laws. But it comes down to laws are laws for a reason and if we don't change the laws, we don't have a right to break the ones we don't like."
Huckabee adopted the National Governors Association policy which calls for more federal funding for all aspects of the drug war
NGA policy HR-13: Combating and Controlling Substance Abuse 00-NGA2 on Aug 15, 2000
Instead, he campaigns on a compassionate approach to wrongdoers, especially those whose crimes are the result of drug or alcohol addiction. At Philly's Finest, he condemned the "revenge-based corrections system," sounding every bit the sort of squishy liberal that the Bill O'Reillys of the world long ago scared into the shadows. "We lock up a lot of people we are mad at rather than the ones we are really afraid of," he said. "We incarcerate more people than anybody on earth." As governor, Huckabee pushed for drug treatment instead of incarceration for nonviolent offenders.
How can we change a drug-addicted culture? Do we say, "If these people weren't poor, or if they only knew what drugs did, then they wouldn't be doing this"? If so, you'd prepare a bunch of informational videos and explain the danger. And in fact, that is just what much of government has been doing. And has it worked? No. Will it ever work? No. Why not? Because taking drugs appeals to the self-centered, pleasure-seeking people we are by nature. If we're convinced of that selfish nature, we take a different tack: "If you use drugs, we're going to put you in jail and confiscate your car." We must come to see that our core problem is not a lack of education but a lack of righteousness. We don't need more information as much as we need new hearts.
Character Makes a Difference, by Mike Huckabee, p.172-173 Jun 1, 2007
While those who deal drugs and entice others into enslaving addictions deserve prison sentences, we end up locking away many non-violent drug users, some of whom spend longer periods in prison than they would if they committed a violent crime. A major reform in dealing with drug offenders in Arkansas was the establishment of drug courts, where a non-violent drug offender could be directed to enroll in drug treatment programs or heavily supervised community service. The recidivism rate dropped to 31%. More significantly, the cost per day was lower than that of prison, while at the same time allowing the offender to regain his or her life.
From Hope to Higher Ground, by Mike Huckabee, p. 89 Jan 4, 2007
We'll ask for drug courts to be expanded because it makes more sense to treat people with a drug problem rather than simply incarcerating them and putting them in a place where their problems are not dealt with. That's one of our initiatives.
State of the State address to the Arkansas legislature Jan 9, 2001