A former Federal Bureau of Investigation officer and current human rights professor at Roosevelt University, Benjamin Thomas Wolf, is running for the 5th Congressional District of Illinois – and he’s smoking a joint in a campaign photo.
He’s calling himself the “Cannabis Candidate” and is advocating for “the immediate legalization of marijuana and hemp for both medicinal and recreational uses in all U.S. states, cities, and territories.”
“Cannabis can provide a much-needed tax base for our city. As a former federal law enforcement agent, I understand the manner in which legalizing cannabis can transform the criminal justice system in regard to high rates of incarceration for drug crimes as well as the unfair targeting of marginalized communities.” – Wolf, in a press release, via Patch.com
Wolf is challenging incumbent Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley for the district, which includes Chicago’s North and Northwest communities. According to a Chicago Sun-Times report, Wolf supports using revenues from a taxed-and-regulated cannabis industry on public education and drug rehabilitation centers. He also supports pardoning all citizens jailed for cannabis-related offenses.
The progressive policy could appeal to voters in a district with an average age of 33. In November, Illinois voters might also have a chance to vote on legalizing cannabis for adult use.