Hot! Pat Robertson

RICHMOND, Va. Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson pronounces marijuana really should be legalized in addition to dealt with including alcohol since the actual government's warfare on prescription drugs has failed.

The outspoken evangelical Christian in addition to particular associated with "The 1 , 000 Club" within the Virginia Beach-based Christian Broadcasting Network he proven said this conflict about drug treatments is actually costing taxpayers massive of dollars. He explained people today will need to not necessarily possibly be delivered to prison with regard to marijuana possession.

The 81-year-old first started to be a new self-proclaimed "hero from the hippie culture" really when he required concluding compulsory living hell sentences for marijuana possession convictions.

"I hiring workers rather than it's stunning what number of worth mentioning young people wind upward in jail and they also get became hardcore crooks simply because acquired a person of an microscopic amount of an controlled substance," Robertson reported on his / her display March 1. "The completely matter is crazy. We've said, 'Well, we live conservatives, we are challenging on crime.' That's baloney."

Robertson's support for legalizing weed been seen in inside a New York Times ( ) account published Thursday. His spokesman confirmed to The Associated Press that Robertson facilitates legalization by using regulation. Robertson wasn't built readily available an interview.

"I definitely imagine we should treat grass the actual way most of us treat wine alcohol," Robertson ended up being quotes by the paper because saying. "If men and women might go into a liquor store and purchase a container involving alcohol consumption plus take the item at home legally, then why complete most people claim this the usage of that some other substance is actually for some reason criminal?"

Robertson claimed your dog "absolutely" sustains ballot measures with Colorado and Washington state that would allow for persons are over the age 21 to possess a tiny volume of marijuana along with allow to get professional pot sales. Both measures, if passed by simply voters, would place the actual says during odds along with federal law, which bans marijuana make use of all kinds.

While he / she supports the measures, Robertson said your dog wouldn't marketing for these people as well as was "not encouraging men and women make use of narcotics within every way, condition or form."

"I'm not just a crusader," he or she said. "I've under no circumstances used marijuana as well as I don't want to, but it's one among those things in which I think: this warfare on drug treatments simply just hasn't succeeded."

In some sort of statement Thursday, Ethan Nadelmann, exec director of the Drug Policy Alliance, explained Robertson's "clearly stated along with well-reasoned reviews dispose of your contour tennis ball directly into this increasing controversy about legalizing marijuana."

"Defenders with weed prohibition . must possibly be thinking when it really is just a matter of your respective before theirs demonstrates to become a dropped cause," this individual said.

Christian advocacy party Focus around the Family opposes legalization intended for medical as well as pastime use, Carrie Gordon Earll, your organization's senior citizen director connected with authorities and also open policy, claimed in a new statement. The party won't remark specially on Robertson's statements.

Sixteen states and the District associated with Columbia have legalized your health-related work with associated with marijuana. Fourteen states likewise have some sort of marijuana decriminalization law, that purges or reduces fees and penalties for possession. Legalization, however, would eradicate charges and pave just how regarding governed sales much like alcohol.

Robertson's comment forms will probably guide commute personal conversations within the issue, claimed Allen St. Pierre, exec director of the National Organization for your Reform of Marijuana Laws.

"Whenever an individual connected with substance and notoriety in this country . will come out solely have modifying your position quo relating to marijuana, for us as well as for the particular reform community, as being the young people say, 'It will be most good," St. Pierre said.