In short: Retired Army General Clark recently pledged unequivocally to stop the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) raids on seriously ill medical marijuana patients. Clark also said that, as president, he may sign medical marijuana legislation.
What Clark has done: Clark, a career military officer, has never held elected office.
What Clark has said: Granite Staters for Medical Marijuana’s (GSMM’s) Morgan Lucas questioned Clark during a live broadcast of C-SPAN, asking, “As president, will you sign legislation allowing cancer, AIDS patients and other seriously ill people to use medical marijuana, with their doctors’ approval?” Clark replied, “Well, I’m certainly moving in that direction. I’ve got to see the evidence brought forward, but I just don’t believe that we ought to be using the federal law enforcement means to run down these cases. A number of states have passed these laws. I’ll certainly look at that and I’m certainly inclined to look — to view favorably the requirement and the desirability of medical marijuana.”
During a November 13 town hall meeting hosted by his campaign in Portsmouth, a GSMM member asked Clark if, as president, he would stop the DEA raids on seriously ill medical marijuana patients in the nine states where criminal penalties have either been reduced or eliminated for medicinal use of marijuana. Clark replied, “In a simple yes-or-no answer: yes.”
During the opening of his New Hampshire campaign headquarters on October 25, Clark was asked by a GSMM member whether he will sign legislation allowing the use of medical marijuana for seriously ill people with their doctors’ approval. Clark replied, “We’re certainly going to take a very, very serious look at that, and I’m really relieved that people are talking about it.”
At a town hall meeting hosted by his campaign on September 26 in Henniker, Clark was asked by a New Hampshire patient and GSMM volunteer, “General Clark, I’m sure you’re aware that the Bush administration has been arresting, prosecuting and jailing medical marijuana patients despite the fact that they are complying with state law. Would a Clark administration treat seriously ill people the same way?” Clark replied simply “The answer is ‘No.'”