Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) said on Tuesday in an interview with WANE that he continues to oppose cannabis legalization in the state while it remains federally outlawed but that he would like the state’s colleges and universities to study the plant.
“[The federal government has] still not done anything to make it legal. … I am not opposed to researching marijuana for the potential and possible positive medicinal uses. To do that, obviously, it would go through the same exact process that any other drug would go through to go to market – the [Food and Drug Administration] process.” — Holcomb to WANE
The governor added that he believes Indiana has the best agriculture and medical schools in the nation, Purdue University and Indiana University, respectively, which could lead the way on cannabis research in the state.
“They’d both agree to participate in some of that research,” he said.
In 2019, Holcomb admitted to smoking cannabis while in college but contested that states that have legalized cannabis for adult use had not made “a wise decision.”
Earlier this year the state Democratic Party urged lawmakers to legalize cannabis and indicated that its elected members would introduce legislation next year to enact the reforms, Fox 59 reports.
A 2018 Old National Bank and Ball State University poll found 8 in 10 Hoosiers support both medical and adult-use cannabis legalization in the state.
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