Where do some 2016 presidential candidates stand on marijuana?

Here’s a link to an article from Weedmaps.com that lists all current 2016 candidates’ stance on marijuana, which is sure to be a hot button issue this coming election. Here’s my own breakdown of certain candidates, from those who’ve already announced their candidacy to those still shouting madly from the sidelines:

Governor Chris Christie wants to get all Tony Soprano on the medical marijuana industry and crackdown on all these aloof liberals with their hippie ideals:

Not saying we shouldn’t be also paying close attention to the current president. President Barack Obama, as well as his predecessors, have all copped to smoking weed, yet they still keep thousands of Americans incarcerated for small drug offenses. These people are you and I. They just happened to get caught up while we didn’t.  Some of it is luck, some of it, however, has to do with privilege.

The video below presents Obama’s views on the subject of marijuana legalization. While I applaud his recognition of the discrepancies within the justice system, it remains nothing but lip service until real change is enacted and people’s lives are restored.

Candidate Rand Paul has always maintained a pro-decriminalization policy, even going as far as holding a very publicized campaign fundraiser event at the Cannabis Business Summit in the Denver Convention Center, thereby becoming the first known presidential candidate to receive donations from the legal marijuana industry.

Candidate Jeb Bush currently maintains a hard-line approach to marijuana, even for medicinal use.  Good ol’ Jeb would be content to put all marijuana smokers underneath the jail, which is ironic, seeing as reportedly Jeb was a huge stoner in college and a bit of a “cynical turd”:

Hillary Clinton has flipped flopped a bit on the issue throughout her political career. Currently, she opines that studies into the potential use of marijuana for medicinal uses should be looked into more. Then again, if president she might just conscript all stoners and send them to fight the Iranians.

Proverbial little shit Marco Rubio has held a position in line with DARE era Reganomics. Why can’t some people let this man go already?   

Bernie Sanders, Socialist Senator out of Vermont who is slowly edging Clinton as the favorite democratic candidate, has always maintained a fairly open mind to marijuana reform:

Candidate Ted Cruz  supports states rights in regards to marijuana legalization:

And who can forget Donald? (Well hopefully most of us who are sane come election day). His views remain that more study needs to be done about what’s happening in Colorado, while medical marijuana remains a viable option.

What are your thoughts on the upcoming 2016 election? Do you feel marijuana legalization will finally become a legitimate issue to be examined further? Leave your comments below.