 Benzinga Staff Writer, Joana Scopel, reported on a 156 member Republican Study Committee and their anti-cannabis stance. This Republican study Committee was founded in 1973 by conservative activists to keep a watch on the House Republican leadership, which they saw at the time as too moderate. There are currently nearly three out of four House Republicans who are members of this committee.
The Committee recently wrote what they call a “Family Policy Agenda.” In it, they detail 10 ideological principles and more than 80 legislative recommendations for their Republican congressmen to follow. They write that their objective with these principles and recommendations are “to guide conservatives’ work to restore the American family.” The chairman of the committee is Republican Congressman Jim Banks, from Indiana. He is highly conservative and does not personally support any form of cannabis. Banks’ state of Indiana is one of only 9 states where no form of cannabis is legalized or decriminalized. Banks wrote in a press release about the committee’s agenda. He said that families “have lost control… over childrearing” and that “Republican leaders need to position themselves as the party of families.” One section of the agenda titled, “Protecting Children from Dangers of Drugs,”in the report referenced states where cannabis has been legalized. They wrote, “This has led to an explosion of marijuana use among children, which is having a hugely negative impact on their health … Congress should not legalize marijuana, while also taking steps to constrain this new industry’s ability to harm children.” Their agenda also strongly insinuated that cannabis has a connection to violent crimes and suicides. They wrote that studies should be done on THC use in “adolescence with a special focus on deaths by suicide and those involved in violent crime to provide Congress and the public with further information about these dangers.” Studies actually have already been done on suicide and cannabis. Experts at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Yale Law School, Cato Institute and the Reason Foundation found that there is no correlation between cannabis use and suicide. Despite the majority of Republican congressmen backing this written agenda, their consituents don’t agree. Very recent polls have shown thar a majority of Republican voters support cannabis legalization, so in this case it does not appear that their leaders are actually representing them. It’s worth remembering that the pressure to go along with your party, to keep your job, or stay in favor of those with more power, can be strong. So, despite what constituents may want, a politician may feel their own personal need to go along with the committee, or committee’s leader. Our representatives are supposed to represent us! Make sure you’re letting yours know how you feel about cannabis and how you want to be represented. And more importantly, make sure you’re voting for people who actually will represent you in government. Comments are closed.
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