Pat Robertson isn’t the joint smoking type but he does believe that marijuana should be legalized. The evangelical Christian host of “The 700 Club” said that the war on drugs has failed and that it’s time to treat marijuana like alcohol.
The Associated Press reports that Robertson has been pro marijuana for a while now. In 2010 the 81-year-old became the self-proclaimed “hero of the hippie culture” by speaking out against mandatory prison sentences for marijuana convictions.
Robertson said on his show that it’s time that conservatives get rid of the “tough on crime” attitude and start thinking about what’s best for the country. Robertson said:
“I just think it’s shocking how many of these young people wind up in prison and they get turned into hardcore criminals because they had a possession of a very small amount of a controlled substance. The whole thing is crazy. We’ve said, ‘Well, we’re conservatives, we’re tough on crime.’ That’s baloney.”
Robertson said that the war on drugs is costing tax payers millions of dollars and it isn’t working. Roberston said:
“I really believe we should treat marijuana the way we treat beverage alcohol. If people can go into a liquor store and buy a bottle of alcohol and drink it at home legally, then why do we say that the use of this other substance is somehow criminal?”
The evangelical preacher may be for legalizing marijuana, but that doesn’t mean that he wants people to start smoking the drug. Robertson made it clear that he wasn’t promoting the drug or encouraging people to use marijuana. He also said that he supports the ballots in Colorado and Washington that would legalize marijuana, but wouldn’t campaign for them.
So what about personally? Does Pat Robertson smoke pot?
Robertson said:
“(I’m) not encouraging people to use narcotics in any way, shape or form. I’m not a crusader. I’ve never used marijuana and I don’t intend to, but it’s just one of those things that I think: this war on drugs just hasn’t succeeded.”
Do you agree with Pat Robertson? Are you surprised by his stance on marijuana?