Bernie Sanders Says We Have Got to Re-Think the 'So-Called' War on Drugs

Bernie Sanders spoke to thousands in Portland, Oregon

Bernie Sanders spoke to thousands in Oregon, reiterating that he will stand behind his beliefs and end the "war on drugs". Photos and Video by Michael Bachara for Salem-News.com

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - The Moda Center was packed with about 11,500 supporters in Portland, Oregon last Friday, cheering in appreciation as Sanders reinforced his stand on many key points including the corrupt corporatists, his faith in the intelligence of the American people, his very grounded views on the "so called war on drugs", the destructive criminal justice system, and more.

He said:

"Now, one of the reasons that so many Americans are angry is they see a criminal justice system which comes down very heavily on the poor and on people of color.

"In Vermont, Oregon, or anyplace, some kid gets picked up with marijuana, that kid is likely to have a police record for the rest of his or her life. But, apparently, if you are an executive on Wall Street, whose greed and illegal behavior destroyed this economy, nothing happens to you.

"So, what Wall Street has got to learn and Corporate America has got to learn is that we are going to bring justice back to a broken criminal justice system.

WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:

"We have got to re-think the so-called War on Drugs. It turns out that over the last 30 years millions of Americans have police records for possession of marijuana.

"It turns out that the Federal Controlled Substance Act lists marijuana as a Schedule I drug, right next to heroin. That is why I've introduced legislation to take marijuana out of the Federal Controlled Substance Act.

"But when we talk about drugs, all of us have got to recognize that in my state of Vermont, neighboring New Hampshire, and all over this country, we have a major crisis in terms of opiate addiction, heroin addiction, and people dying every day from overdoses.

"What we have got to do as a nation is to understand the most effective way to deal with drug and alcohol abuse is not making them crimes, but making them health issues."

- Bernie Sanders Rally, Portland, Oregon, 03/25/2016

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Diann April 7, 2016 8:22 am (Pacific time)

This stance on the war on drugs is one of the reasons I love him so much. I have never been an addict but I have been affected by addiction since I was an infant. Its time for change!!

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