CNN Video: CA Gov Jerry Brown Champions States’ Rights On Cannabis

California Governor Jerry Brown was on CNN’s State of the Union this past Sunday November 11, 2012. Candy Crowley and Governor Brown discussed the recent election results, his push for tax hikes and the push by states for cannabis reform.

It’s almost a 20 minute interview, but the conversation on the recent cannabis wins on election day starts just after the 16 minute mark through the end of the interview.

Although I strongly disagree with Governor Brown’s comments during this interview on California medical marijuana as well as cannabis being a ‘dangerous chemical’ and how murders get started with marijuana; he’s entitled to his (misinformed 1930’s) opinion and he doesn’t give alcohol a free pass. Much more importantly, the Governor respects the will of the people and states’ rights.

Video Highlights: CA Governor Jerry Brown on CNN’s State of the Union, November 11, 2012

• Candy: “Let me ask you about a specific issue… and that’s the legalization of marijuana, which as you know was passed in Colorado as well as Washington state. Do you it’s time for the federal government, the Justice Department, to declassify marijuana as a Category [Schedule] I drug?” [16:07 mark]
  • Gov Jerry Brown: “Well, I would say this… It’s time for the Justice Dept to recognize the sovereignty of the states…” [16:23 mark]
• Gov Jerry Brown: “I believe the President and the Dept of Justice ought to respect the will of these separate states” [16:51 mark]
• Gov Jerry Brown: “I think the federal law can maintain but it shouldn’t try to nullify reasonable state measures. I’m not saying the states can do anything they want, but the measures that have been adopted so far have been after rigorous debate. In fact, there was a marijuana legalization in California and its been rejected, it’s been rejected in other states. So we are capable of self-government. We don’t need some federal gendarme to come in and tell us what to.” [17:04 mark]
• Candy: “Careful, you may sound like a Republican here with the states’ rights thing…” [17:41 mark]
  • Gov Jerry Brown: “Well there’s a logic to states’ rights. I know because of the whole matter of slavery and segregation we moved towards a more centralized state, but there is something called subsidiarity that is move govt responsibility to the institution closest to the people. I think that’s a very important principle and consistent with fundamental human rights” [17:45 mark]
• Candy: “And if you see feds back off on marijuana – on enforcement of laws as it apply to marijuana in Colorado and Washington State, is that something you’d bring up again in California? I mean, it’s a great source of revenue if you could tax it and…” [18:07 mark]
  • Gov Jerry Brown: “I’m not prepared to bring that up. We already have a fair amount of marijuana use in the guise of medical marijuana and there’s abuses in that field. And as governor, I review paroles for those sentenced for murder and I have to review the paroles and I review hundreds of them. And so many of them start with drugs, with marijuana, with alcohol, when they’re 12, they’re 15. So it’s dangerous. And people should not in any way take lightly the power of chemicals, whether it be cannabis or something stronger to affect the human mind in a way that really makes desperate people far more desperate.” [18:20 mark]