No Love for Cannabis From Leading Colorado Gov. Candidates

By now, Colorado is already well known in the United States for its legalization of cannabis. However, it appears that neither of the two leading candidates in the race to be elected Colorado’s governor are a fan of the ganj.

Before the legalization bill was even passed, both candidates – Democratic John Hickenlooper and Republican Bob Beauprez – expressed their opposition to the legal sale of cannabis. Now it seems they’re arguing over who opposes it more (classic politicians).

“I’m not aware of him coming out and formally opposing it, like I did, when it was on the ballot,” said current Governor John Hickenlooper referring to his opponent.

“I didn’t like it in the first place. Where was his leadership then?” said Bob Beauprez referring to the current Governor.

Governor Hickenlooper admitted to trying the herb before and brushed it off saying, “When I was younger, I did a lot of dumb things.” Beauprez said that he had never tried it saying it was, “the one thing I’ve managed to miss in my entire life.” And boy did he sure miss out, although I suppose this does technically put him in the lead of the “I oppose cannabis the most” argument.

Despite his current stance, Governor Hickenlooper seemed determined to enact the will of the people saying in a 2012 interview, “If we can’t legalize it, how do we decriminalize it? How do we get as close as we can to the will of the voters?” Both candidates public position on cannabis are curious when considering that Colorado voters already decided they were pro-cannabis in 2012. It is an especially strange stance for the current governor to take considering one fundraiser in the cannabis industry contributed $40,000 to the Hickenlooper campaign.

The issue is apparently still a hot point, as Governor Hickenlooper was asked in an October debate if he thought the voter’s decision to allow for the retail sale of cannabis was reckless. The Governor responded to the question by saying, “I’m not saying it was reckless because I’ll get quoted everywhere, but if it was up to me, I wouldn’t have done it, right? I opposed it from the very beginning. Oh, what the hell, I’ll say it was reckless.” (After his remark the governor proceeded to be quoted everywhere.)

Colorado tokers can rest at ease however, as both candidates have stated that they will enforce the law as passed in 2012. Regardless it is a disappointing irony that both candidates for governor in what has come to be widely known as a weed state, don’t like weed.