South Carolina Voters Want the Feds Out of MMJ Laws

The majority of the voters in South Carolina want the federal government to stay out of the way when it comes to state medical cannabis laws.

A new survey, conducted under the authority of the Marijuana Policy Project, found that 65 percent of the voting population in the Palmetto State believes that states should be permitted to govern their own cannabis laws “without federal interference.” The latest poll, which was published on Wednesday, indicates that even in states where pot policies remain on the side of the ultra-conservative, the population does not want the federal government telling them how to run the show.

This opinion is becoming an increasing trend across the nation. Recently, another poll discovered that an overwhelming majority of Republican voters in the key election states want the federal government uninvolved with state marijuana laws. Seventy one percent of the GOP in Iowa and 73 percent in New Hampshire all agreed that federal authority should not apply in the case where a state’s preference is to legalize the leaf.

What’s interesting is this desire to keep the Feds out of the state’s business is across the board, regardless of political affiliation, sex or the age of the voter. By and large, citizens are becoming less impressed with the will of the lawmakers making decisions in Washington, D.C. and more encouraging in the deals being made in their immediate neck of the woods.

Some cannabis reform activists believe that personal feelings have taken a backseat when it comes to the issue of legalizing marijuana. It is for this reason that presidential candidates like Chris Christie and Marco Rubio, both of which have stated that they would shut down the cannabis industry, do not stand a chance at even dominating in the primaries – much less winning the keys to the White House.

“The Obama administration has made some helpful accommodations to let states start to move forward, but overarching federal prohibition laws still stand in the way of full and effective implementation,” said Tom Angell of the Marijuana Majority. “Presidential contenders in both parties would do well to make marijuana law reform a prominent issue in their campaigns, and they’d be better off doing it before other candidates realize just how much of a winning issue this is with voters.

Interestingly, South Carolina has sort of an anti-pot candidate in the race for the presidency in 2016. Senator Lindsey Graham has stated that while he does not agree with the legalization of recreational marijuana, he believes cannabis for medicinal use should be made available. This seems to be the attitude of most the Republican candidates – at least all of the smarter ones. Candidates like Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz and Rick Perry have all said that while they do not support legalization, they are all for states having the right to oversee their own policies.

Do you think the federal government should interfere with state cannabis regulations? Share your opinion below.