State of California secondary Archives: on Drugs


Carly Fiorina: Provide Mexico support in war on drugs

Q: The fight against drugs in Mexico became increasingly bloody and could spill across the border into California, which you have mentioned. Do you think the United States should consider providing military assistance to the government of Mexico in its war against the drug cartels?

Fiorina: Well first, I think that we must do as the government of Mexico asks us to do in terms of supporting them, and in some cases, we have not provided to them all of the support that they have asked for. But just to put this in context, I think what we're looking at here is the potential that Mexico is approaching a failed state. A "failed state" is when a government cannot control the security situation within its borders.

Q: So, what can we do about it?

Fiorina: I think we must provide to the government of Mexico all the support that they are asking for, and frankly, we have not yet done that. We haven't provided all the support.

Source: 2010 CA Senate general election Debate on KPCC Sep 29, 2010

David Hadley: $85 million funding for drug and gang enforcement programs

David Hadley believes that front line police officers must always have the support of our South Bay communities--after all, they literally put their lives on the line everyday protecting our neighborhoods. True to his word, he wrote legislation allocating an extra $85 million to plug a funding hole for drug and gang enforcement programs.
Source: 2018 CA gubernatorial campaign website DavidHadley.com May 2, 2017

John Cox: If we have to, we're gonna force people to get treatment

The candidates had a robust debate over how to handle the deepening crisis of homelessness in California. Cox lamented the number of tents along the streets in San Diego and pledged to take a more forceful approach, which would likely require changes to the law: "If we have to, we're gonna force people to get into treatment."
Source: CNN Politics on 2021 CA recall race Aug 5, 2021

Kevin Paffrath: State bungled legalized cannabis; 80% of sales still illegal

Cannabis was legalized by voters five years ago. Here we are five years later and 80% of cannabis sales are still illegal and untaxed. Why? Because you've got this patchwork of miscellaneous ideas with good intentions but no leadership to bring them together.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle on 2021 CA recall race Aug 25, 2021

Ron Paul: Our drug war is driving our immigration policy

We need to remove the incentive--easy road to citizenship. Nobody has mentioned the fact that they qualify for welfare benefits. The state of Texas shouldn't be forced to provide free health care and free education.

But there is a mess down there, and it's a big mess. And it's the drug war that's going on there. And our drug laws are driving this. So now we're killing thousands and thousands of people. That makes it much more complicated.

Source: 2011 GOP debate in Simi Valley CA at the Reagan Library Sep 7, 2011

Larry Elder: Tax & regulate cannabis

Elder would mean trouble for the state's cannabis industry, said a law practitioner in the cannabis space. "Larry Elder has stated that he wants to tax and regulate cannabis, which already faces over-taxation and regulation, and increase the number of cannabis-related arrests," the lawyer said. "The changes proposed by Elder would stifle growth in the cannabis industry, continue to squeeze out small businesses, and return to a 'war on drugs' type of police enforcement."
Source: Cannabis Business Times on 2021 CA recall race Sep 10, 2021

Kamala Harris: Arrest gang members for illegal guns, meth, and coke

Attorney General Kamala Harris today announced the arrests of 52 individuals and the seizure of 67 firearms, including assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons, $95,700 in currency, and methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana with a total street value of $1.6 million, as part of a bust of two gangs operating in Riverside County.

"Criminal gangs brazenly trafficking guns and drugs on our streets jeopardize public safety and will not be tolerated," said Attorney General Harris. These gangs traffic narcotics and illegal firearms, many of which were involved in crimes throughout Riverside County.

In 2014, Harris and the California Highway Patrol Commissioner worked to secure $9.4 million for California DOJ Bureau of Investigation's Special Operations Unit teams. These unique and essential teams use the latest technology and advanced investigative techniques and work alongside local law enforcement to enhance investigations into violent criminals and organized crime throughout the state.

Source: Highland News on CA Attorney General press release "Gangs" Jun 9, 2016

  • The above quotations are from State of California Politicians: secondary Archives.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Drugs.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
2024 Presidential contenders on Drugs:
  Candidates for President & Vice-President:
V.P.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.(I-CA)
Chase Oliver(L-GA)
Dr.Jill Stein(D-MA)
Former Pres.Donald Trump(R-FL)
Sen.J.D.Vance(R-OH)
Gov.Tim Walz(D-MN)
Dr.Cornel West(I-NJ)

2024 presidential primary contenders:
Pres.Joe_Biden(D-DE)
N.D.Gov.Doug Burgum(R)
N.J.Gov.Chris_Christie(R)
Fla.Gov.Ron_DeSantis(R)
S.C.Gov.Nikki_Haley(R)
Ark.Gov.Asa_Hutchinson(R)
Former V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
U.S.Rep.Dean_Phillips(D-MN)
Vivek_Ramaswamy(R-OH)
S.C.Sen.Tim_Scott(R)
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Page last updated: Feb 06, 2026