Steve Williams, the Democratic candidate for Governor of West Virginia, has officially expressed his support for legalizing recreational marijuana in the state.
Steve Williams, the Democratic nominee for West Virginia Governor.
“Adults in our state deserve the right to make their own choices about cannabis, just as they do with alcohol and tobacco,” Williams said in a statement. “One avenue to move forward is to put legalization on the ballot and let voters decide.”
Earlier this year a legislative proposal that would make recreational marijuana legal for everyone 21 and older was filed in the state’s House of Representatives. It remains alive, but thus far has failed to advance out of committee.
The proposal would make the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana and some marijuana products like tinctures legal for everyone who’s at least 21 years old. The legislation would allow a system of licensed and regulated marijuana retail outlets, with the industry overseen by the Department of Commerce.
Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Erika Kolenich says “I am in favor of decriminalizing marijuana for recreational purposes. Many states around West Virginia have done so. We lose out on significant revenue when our citizens travel out of state to take advantage of those recreational laws”.
Republican gubernatorial candidate and current Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, however, opposes legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana.
“I’m laser focused on doing everything we can to make sure we fight the opioid epidemic in West Virginia,” said Morrisey. “That means addressing the Chinese fentanyl coming in through the southern border and getting the victims the care they need. I’m not for adding more drugs into our state.”
