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Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee Slams Cannabis Industry, Says It Targets ‘Gullible’ People

The former Arkansas governor. Mike Huckabee warned that legalizing adult-use cannabis in Arkansas will help drug cartels and that the cannabis industry will “make a buck off of gullible people.” The videos were released as voters gear up to choose the state’s next governor and whether to legalize pot.

The videos—full of misleading and factually incorrect notions—warn about the dangers of pot. Huckabee directs his gaze at the camera in the first video and explains why he doesn’t support legalization. In the second video, Huckabee’s video begins with images of homeless people, drug addicts, and syringes littered on the streets.

The videos were posted on the website of Family Council Action Committee—one of three groups joining together in a coalition to oppose Issue 4, the Arkansas Adult Use Cannabis Amendment.

“Unfortunately, you aren’t the one who is going to be making the money, drug cartels will,” Huckabee said in the video.

“And if you are one of those people that can sell the drug, maybe you’ll make a buck off of the gullible people who will somehow convince themselves this is absolutely harmless,” Huckabee added.

“Southern Baptist ministries in Arkansas have worked for decades to help people overcome addiction and substance abuse. Issue 4 undermines those addiction recovery programs,” Family Council Action Committee Executive Director Jerry Cox said in an October 14 press release. “Some people will tell you that marijuana isn’t any more harmful than alcohol. That might have been true ten or twelve years ago, but it doesn’t seem to be true any more. In states such as California and Colorado, high-potency marijuana has become the norm. Issue 4 allows for THC extracts to be legalized that have a higher potency than the average marijuana plant. These drugs are going to be devastating for many people. That’s just another reason why Arkansans should vote against Issue 4 this November.”

Arkansas’s road to legalization has been rocky to say the least.

August 3rd, the State Board of Election Commissioners denied issue 4 certification to legalize adult-use cannabis. They cited concerns over background checks and THC limits. Part of the new ballot petition process, the SBEC review was part.

Then on September 22, the Arkansas Supreme Court overturned the SBEC’s decision to deny certification of the constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana use for adults. In a 5-2 opinion, the Arkansas Supreme Court rejected the panel’s concerns about ballot sufficiency. Barbara Webb, Justice Shawn Womack, and Barbara Webb also dissented.

“With these standards in mind, we conclude that the ballot title at issue is complete enough to convey an intelligible idea of the scope and import of the proposed amendment,” Associate Justice Robin Wynne wrote in the majority opinion. “Therefore, Respondents and Intervenors have not met their burden of proving that the ballot title is insufficient. It will be up to the voters whether they approve or deny this proposed amendment. Accordingly, we grant the petition and order the Secretary of State to certify the proposed amendment for inclusion on the November 8, 2022 general election ballot.”

Huckabee criticised the opinion. “[The justices] surely are intelligent people and they know the only people to really benefit from this, other than those who are going to be selling it at a high price and making a lot of money, are going to be the people who maybe sell snack foods to satisfy the munchies for people who are engaged in the use of recreational marijuana,” Huckabee said. While Huckabee blamed the justices, they don’t necessarily agree with bills they approve or reject.

Ironically, some Arkansans who are part of the cannabis industry there contributed to Huckabee’s campaigns. Arkansas Cannabiz identified over $50,000 in contributions from people currently working in the Arkansas cannabis industry who have contributed to Sanders’ campaign.

Huckabee’s daughter and former  White House Press Secretary for President Trump Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who also opposes Issue 4, is on the ballot this November. According to the latest polling, she leads Democrat Chris Jones by 11 points. Seven percent of those who are undecided said that Jones is behind her.

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