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Michael Badnarik on Drugs
Libertarian Party nominee for President
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Self-medication should be up to individuals, not government
On a fundamental level, Libertarians believe that it is the unalienable and constitutional right of individuals to medicate themselves and choose for themselves what to put into their bodies, as long as they live up to the consequences of their actions.
The federal government has no proper say in the matter, and state governments violate the rights of the people in their own attempts to enforce morality.
The decision to ingest, smoke or consume any drug should be up to the individual, under the advice of his or her physician, when appropriate. Locking people up for trying to relieve their pain is cruel and unusual punishment for an act that hurts no one.
Source: Campaign website, www.badnarik.org, "The Issues"
Jun 15, 2004
Drug War also has funded terrorism
The Drug War also has funded terrorists; providing them with opportunities for enormous profits, and even by giving foreign aid to such regimes as the Taliban as long as they promised to have "tough drug" policies.
The Drug War does not curb demand, it barely reduces supply, however it makes America much more dangerous and much less free.
Source: Campaign website, www.badnarik.org, "The Issues"
Jun 15, 2004
Block federal spending on the War on Drugs
A Libertarian president would order federal officials to cease and desist in harassing medical marijuana patients and would block federal spending on the War on Drugs. Nonviolent drug offenders would be released from federal prison, and each state would
choose its own drug policy, just as each chose its own alcohol policy when alcohol Prohibition was repealed. Libertarians would expect most states to severely reform their policies to make them more humane and less at odds with the Constitution.
Source: Campaign website, www.badnarik.org, "The Issues"
Jun 15, 2004
War on Drugs: cure is worse than the disease
On the war on drugs: "The cure is worse than the disease. ... Your liberty allows you to make bad decisions."
Source: Michael King, The Austin (TX) Chronicle
Jun 11, 2004
Rated A+ by VOTE-HEMP, indicating a pro-hemp voting record.
Badnarik scores A+ by VOTE-HEMP on pro-hemp legalization policies
VOTE HEMP is a non-profit organization dedicated to the acceptance of and free market for Industrial Hemp. Industrial Hemp is non-psychoactive low THC varieties of the cannabis sativa plant. Currently, it is illegal for U.S. farmers to grow Industrial Hemp because it is improperly classified as a "drug" under the Controlled Substances Act. Since changes in law require shifts in thinking and this requires education in the facts, our primary goal is the education of legislators and regulators, farmers and businesses, students and other concerned citizens.
Source: VOTE-HEMP website 02n-HEMP on Dec 31, 2003