State of Kansas Archives: on Drugs
Patrick Wiesner:
Failure to stop opioid drug trade is a failure of government
Q: Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S. and opioid addiction is becoming a big part of that. What role should the federal government have in curtailing this health crisis?WIESNER: The reports indicate that opioids are
manufactured in China and smuggled into the United States through Mexico. Failure to stop this drug trade is a failure of government. The President and Congress have the duty, tools, and public support to interdict.
Yet we still have more overdoses, more addicted, and more ruined lives. The problem has international implications; that means the federal government must be involved. Legalizing these drugs and marijuana would be surrender.
The American people should not tolerate this government failure. As Senator, I will advocate spending whatever it takes to fix this problem. Those in charge will be held accountable.
Source: Topeka Capital-Journal voter guide: 2016 Kansas Senate race
Oct 1, 2016
Patrick Wiesner:
Legalizing pot would be surrender, but treat addicts who ask
Legalizing opioids and marijuana would be surrender. Our country is wealthy enough to afford drug treatment to everyone one who needs it and asks for it. I favor policy that will forgo prosecution of any addict who wants help.
Our country is also wealthy enough to commit the required resources to operations for finding the makers and transporters of all illegal drugs, destroying their means of drug production, and then putting the criminals on trial.
Source: Topeka Capital-Journal voter guide: 2016 Kansas Senate race
Oct 1, 2016
Conner Eldridge:
Spent 5 years as US Attorney taking on drug traffickers
A 37-year-old prosecutor who has spent the past five years in the headlines for taking on drug traffickers, child pornographers and other criminals, Conner Eldridge on paper has the ideal background to mount a bid for the US Senate next year.
But that resume is easily overshadowed by the political reality of just how dramatically Arkansas has moved from a Democratic stronghold in the South to a place where Republicans dominate up and down the ballot.
Eldridge's announcement last week that he is resigning as the U.S. attorney for western Arkansas was the strongest sign yet that he's inching toward a Democratic bid to unseat Republican US Sen. John Boozman.
But he's not ready to even acknowledge that possibility. Eldridge has the fundraising ability and the profile to run as the type of centrist candidate that's won voter support in the past.
Source: Commercial Appeal on 2016 Arkansas Senate race
Aug 15, 2015
Randall Batson:
Strongly supports legalizing marijuana
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Never legalize marijuana"?
A: Strongly Oppose.
Source: E-mail interview on Kansas 2014 Senate race with OnTheIssues
Sep 19, 2014
Chad Taylor:
Legalizing marijuana may decrease crime & increase revenue
Many states have already taken initiative when it comes to marijuana legalization, with more than half of them decriminalizing possession of small amounts or legalizing its medical use. I am interested, from a legal standpoint, to see what the
data say about the states that have legalized recreational marijuana, particularly as they relate to decreases in violent crime and increases in revenue sources for local taxing entities.
Source: 2014 Kansas Senate campaign website, TaylorForUSSenate.com
Sep 1, 2014
Randall Batson:
Legalization yields better results than current turf wars
Drug War: Just as in the era of alcohol prohibition, bad law has consequences to society. Non-violent offenses without intent to injure others should be non-criminal. Our laws create penal system tax burdens.
People purchase medication at pharmacies, alcohol at liquor stores, and cigarettes at tobacco stores. Legalization will present problems, yet will yield better results than the current black market turf wars and stray bullets.
Source: 2014 Kansas Senate campaign website batson4senate.weebly.com
Aug 31, 2014
Chris Koster:
Helping meth cooks get ingredients leads to jail
Chris Koster announced the creation of a campaign to inform purchasers of pseudoephedrine-based cold and allergy medicines that purchasing the drugs for meth cooks is
illegal. "Missouri leaders are coming together... to send an unmistakable message: If you're buying this product for a meth cook, you are committing a serious criminal offense and could end up behind bars."
Source: Kansas City Star on 2016 Missouri Gubernatorial race
Mar 13, 2013
Chad Taylor:
Successfully prosecuted case on hallucinogenic level-2 drugs
District Attorney Chad Taylor announces that Austin Craig Tabor of Topeka, Kansas pled no contest and was convicted today of the following offenses in connection with homicide and drug charges related to an October 23, 2010 incident at Topeka West
High School: Murder in the Second Degree, a severity level 1, person felony, Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, a severity level 3, person felony, Conspiracy to Distribute a Hallucinogenic Drug within 1000 feet of a school, a severity level
2 drug offense, and Attempted Distribution of a Hallucinogenic Drug within 1000 feet of a school, a severity level 2 drug offense. Shawnee County District Court Judge Mark Braun accepted the defendant's pleas and set sentencing for
November 26, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. The case was investigated by the Topeka Police Department with the assistance of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the U.S.D. 501 Police Department.
Source: D.A. office press release: 2014 Kansas Senate race
Sep 25, 2012
Mike Beebe:
Heavier penalties for drug trade; but not for possession
Our drug statutes must put a stronger emphasis and heavier penalties on those involved with the drug trade, instead of giving equally harsh sentences to those merely arrested for mere possession or use. Previous legislatures have built a grid of
sentencing guidelines, a grid that is often manipulated or ignored to put away offenders for even longer stretches of time. Those guidelines must be more closely followed, or perhaps those jurisdictions that frequently exceed the grid should share in th
cost of incarceration with our state. My proposed budget adds more than $4 million to help accommodate the Dept. of Community Correction's anticipated larger role.The North Little Rock Police Chief said: "We're not talking about being tough on crime,
or soft on crime; we're talking about being smart on crime." When it comes to criminal activity, we've got to make sure that the bad guys who will hurt you--the violent criminals or the career criminals--are the ones we lock away and save the beds for.
Source: 2011 Arkansas State of the State Address
Jan 11, 2011
Joe Bellis:
No mandatory prison sentences for selling drugs
Q: Do you support mandatory prison sentences for selling illegal drugs?A: No.
Q: Do you support programs that provide prison inmates with substance abuse treatment?
A: No.
Q:
Do you support reduced prison sentences for non-violent offenders?
A: No.
Q: Other topics?
A: Federal government invention in criminal issues should be limited to constitutionally mandated federal crimes.
Source: Kansas Congressional Election 2010 Political Courage Test
Sep 25, 2010
Bruce Westerman:
No medical marijuana; no decriminalization
Q: Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?A: No.
Q: Do you support increasing Arkansas' tax on alcohol to expand substance abuse programs?
A: No.
Q: Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized?
A: No.
Source: Arkansas Congressional 2008 Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2008
Kris Kobach:
Stricter punishment for importing & selling drugs
Kobach supports the following principles regarding drugs.- Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
-
Increase border security to stop the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.
- Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction
Source: 2004 Kansas Congressional National Political Awareness Test
Nov 1, 2004
Mike Huckabee:
Treatment for drug use instead of incarceration
We’ll ask for drug courts to be expanded because it makes more sense to treat people with a drug problem rather than simply incarcerating them and putting them in a place where their problems are not dealt with. That’s one of our initiatives.
Source: 2001 State of the State address to the Arkansas legislature
Jan 9, 2001
Page last updated: Feb 13, 2018