| Candidate | Decriminalization | Legalization |
| Cory Booker |
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| Pete Buttigieg |
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| Julian Castro |
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| John Delaney |
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| Tulsi Gabbard |
|
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| Kirsten Gillibrand |
|
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| Kamala Harris |
|
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| Amy Klobuchar |
|
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| Bernie Sanders |
|
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| Elizabeth Warren |
|
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| Marianne Williamson |
|
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| Andrew Yang |
|
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| Donald Trump |
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| Bill Weld |
|
|
While they disagree on many issues, all of the announced Democratic presidential candidates told the Boston Globe they were in favor of national cannabis legalization similar to what Canada enacted last year.
[Read more: How marijuana became politically mainstream after decades on the fringe]
DEM
Cory Booker, 49
New Jersey Senator
“I live in an inner city community that has had a very different experience with marijuana prohibition than the affluent communities that I grew up in and that the universities and colleges I attended — and that’s just not fair.”
DEM
Pete Buttigieg, 37
South Bend (Ind.) Mayor
“The safe, regulated, and legal sale of marijuana is an idea whose time has come for the United States, as evidenced by voters demanding legalization in states across the country.”
DEM
Julian Castro, 44
Former HUD Secretary
“We can sensibly legalize marijuana use with reasonable controls in place.”
DEM
John Delaney, 55
Former Maryland Representative
“It has contributed to a criminal justice system where people of color are disproportionately harmed.”
DEM
Tulsi Gabbard, 37
Hawaii Representative
“Legalizing adult use of marijuana is common sense and long overdue.”
DEM
Kirsten Gillibrand, 52
New York Senator
“Millions of Americans’ lives have been devastated because of our broken marijuana policies, especially in communities of color and low-income communities.”
DEM
Kamala Harris, 54
California Senator
“I think it gives a lot of people joy, and we need more joy.”
DEM
Amy Klobuchar, 58
Minnesota Senator
“I support the legalization of marijuana and believe that states should have the right to determine the best approach to marijuana within their borders.”
DEM
Bernie Sanders, 77
Vermont Senator
“Prohibition against marijuana and other drugs is not working.”
DEM
Elizabeth Warren, 69
Massachusetts Senator
“It makes no sense for marijuana to be a Schedule 1 drug, which means the federal government has decided in advance that there is no medicinal value to marijuana.”
DEM
Marianne Williamson, 66
Author and speaker
“The repeal of the prohibition is long overdue and I support it wholeheartedly.”
DEM
Andrew Yang, 44
California entrepreneur
“We should proceed with full legalization of marijuana and pardon those in jail for non-violent marijuana-related offenses.”
GOP
Donald Trump, 72
President of the United States
“In terms of marijuana and legalization, I think that should be a state issue.”
GOP
Bill Weld, 73
Former Massachusetts governor
“I think [national legalization] is inevitable. I don’t think any politician is going to be able to stop it.”
Photos: Alex Brandon/Associated Press/File; Alex Wong/Getty Images; Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images; Joshua Lott/AFP/Getty Images; Thos Robinson/Getty Images; Zach Gibson/Bloomberg; Zach Gibson/Getty Images; Celeste Sloman/The New York Times; Ethan Miller/Getty Images; Christopher Goodney/Bloomberg; Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images; Joshua Lott/AFP/Getty Images; Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg; Tina Fineberg for The Boston Globe