Marijuana legalization has opponents in high places.
Four U.S. governors – two Republicans and two Democrats – voiced their opposition to marijuana legalization on CNN’s “State of the Union” show on Sunday.
Republicans Rick Perry of Texas and Mike Pence of Indiana both said they flat-out do not support legalization. Democrats Dan Malloy of Connecticut and Jay Nixon of Missouri also said their states would not move forward with legalization.
Perry, who is considering a run for President in 2016, did budge slightly on the issue, and said he supports lowering the penalties for marijuana use, and that Texas currently has policies to limit the prison population for marijuana offenses.
Nixon admitted that Missouri could be headed toward legalizing medical marijuana, but that a move beyond medical marijuana represented “a bridge too far.”
Malloy, whose state has decriminalized possession of marijuana and legalized medical marijuana, said that he was not prepared take a step toward legalization. Connecticut’s medical marijuana program will allow between three to five dispensary licenses to accompany the four cultivation licenses it awarded in late January.
But Malloy said that pursuing marijuana legalization in order to raise tax revenue “doesn’t make sense.”
“Let’s not be enticed on that road because of money,” he said.
