By Terry Hacienda, The Fresh Toast
His post presidency secured his legacy as a great humanitarian, but while president, he was an ally of cannabis.
While Jimmy Carter legacy as a president is mixed, his actions as a former president has positioned him as a one of the great global humanitarians. Humble, filled with common sense and a strong backbone, Carter stood for his beliefs. Coupled with his wife Rosalynn, spent the years of his presidency working to make the world a better place. From Habitat for Humanity to the Carter Center, who wanted to help everyday people. One of those groups were military veterans. He was the first major political to help push medical marijuana. Yes, Jimmy Carter was an ally of the cannabis industry, and we owe him a debt of gratitude.
Jimmy Carter’s presidency marked a significant shift in the United States’ approach to cannabis policy. During his 1976 campaign, Carter endorsed the decriminalization of marijuana on a state-by-state basis, aligning with recommendations from the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse. This stance was revolutionary for its time, as eight states had already decriminalized marijuana by 1977.
Upon taking office, Carter maintained his progressive stance on cannabis. In a 1977 address to Congress, he argued that penalties for cannabis use should not outweigh the actual harms of consumption. Carter appointed pro-decriminalization advisors, including British physician Peter Bourne as his “drug czar” to head the Office of Drug Abuse Policy. Carter’s administration made concrete steps towards cannabis reform. The president supported replacing imprisonment with civil fines for possession of one ounce or less of cannabis and removing federal penalties for such possession.
Conservative politicians, such as future president Ronald Reagan, used their platforms to attack Carter for being “soft” on cannabis. Congress ultimately ignored Carter’s support for decriminalization, alarmed by a sharp increase in cocaine use and viewing cannabis as a gateway drug.
Despite these setbacks during his presidency, Carter has maintained his progressive stance on cannabis in the years since leaving office. In 2012, speaking to a CNN panel, he expressed support for the legalization of marijuana. He stated, “I’m in favor of it. I think it’s OK,” and suggested that states like Washington could serve as experimental grounds for cannabis regulation.
Carter’s approach to cannabis policy was ahead of its time, combining public health considerations with a more lenient stance on possession. While his efforts during his presidency were ultimately thwarted by political opposition and shifting public opinion, his continued advocacy in later years has contributed to the ongoing dialogue on cannabis reform in the United States
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