Opposes making marijuana available for medical reasons :
"I don't think marijuana is healthy, I don't think that it is good for people, and I also, there is a large body of medical opinion that says there is plenty of other medications that are more effective and better and less damaging to one's health to use to relieve pain."
VIDEO:
http://glassbooth.org/explore/index/john-mccain/10/medical-marijuana-and-drug-policy/1/"I think that there are far much more effective ways of relieving pain and suffering than the use of marijuana, therefore I view it as something that I don't support"
VIDEO:
http://glassbooth.org/explore/index/john-mccain/10/medical-marijuana-and-drug-policy/1/Is neutral on federal raids on medical marijuana facilities in states which have approved its use:
Q: Can we count on you to end the raids on the sick and dying sir? A: Not yet
VIDEO:
http://glassbooth.org/explore/index/john-mccain/10/medical-marijuana-and-drug-policy/1/When Sen. McCain gave his official campaign announcement speech on April 25, 2007, at Veteran's Park in Manchester, New Hampshire, he was asked if he would end the federal raids on medical marijuana patients. Sen. McCain answered, "I will let states decide that issue."
LINK (ARTICLE):
http://www.reason.com/blog/show/121159.html"Q: What are you going to do about federal government raiding state licensed medical marijuana facilities? A: Nothing. I don't believe medical marijuana is necessary for alleving pain."
VIDEO:
http://glassbooth.org/explore/index/john-mccain/10/medical-marijuana-and-drug-policy/1/Strongly supports fighting a war on drugs internationally
McCain lauded the Mexican president's cooperation with America in drug prosecutions. "He's a good man," McCain said of Felipe Calderon. "For the first time in history he extradited drug dealers to the U.S."
Of the four major candidates, McCain has expressed the most hawkish positions on drug policy. He wants to increas penalties for selling drugs, supports the death penalty for drug kingpins, favors tightening security to stop the flow of drugs into the country, and wants to restrict availability of methadone for heroin addicts. He said the Clinton administration was "AWOL on the war on drugs" and he would push for more money and military assistance to drug-supplying nations such as Colombia.
Boston Globe, p. A21 Mar 5, 2000
"I support the Drug Free Borders Act of 1999. This legislation funds advanced sensing equipment for detecting illegal drugs before they can cross our border and emerge on the streets of America's cities. This Act authorizes over $1 billion to beef-up operations along our borders with Mexico and Canada, as well as at maritime ports. This legislation is a sound, responsible approach to enhancing this country's capabilities to interdict the flow of drugs before they reach our children."
Senate statement, "Drug Free Borders" Mar 18, 1999
"The war on terror has taken some of our attention off the drug problem, drug cartels, and by many measurements they are getting a lot stronger rather than weaker," he said. "I think it's damaging to our national security when the drug usage is up."Vote YES to add an additional $53 million (raising the total to $213 million) to international narcotics control funding, and pay for it by taking $25 million from international operations funding and $28 million from development assistance.
Bill HR 3540 ; vote number 1996-244 on Jul 25, 1996
LINK (QUOTE):
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-09-03-mccain-border_N.htmOpposes relaxing drug laws and/or drug enforcement
McCain indicates that federally sponsored drug education and drug treatment programs should be expanded. He says, "Work to expand public/private partnerships in support of such initiatives, and coordinate them with state and local efforts."
Vote-Smart.org 2000 NPAT Jan 13, 2000
Q: How do you reconcile the tolerance for alcohol with the intolerance for marijuana? A: I can't support the legalization of marijuana. Scientific evidence indicates that the moment that it enters your body, one, it does damage, and second, it can become addictive. It is a gateway drug. There is a problem in American with alcohol abuse, and there's no doubt about that. We have to do whatever we can to - prevention, education, and that applies to drugs too.
Republican Debate at Dartmouth College Oct 29, 1999
McCain introduced the "Addiction Free Treatment Act" (S.423), which prohibits the use of funds for any drug treatment or rehabilitation program that uses methadone or other heroin detoxification agents unless the program follows specified guidelines, including that the program has as its primary objective the elimination of drug addiction and that it conducts random and frequent comprehensive drug testing for all narcotics.
Senate statements S.423 Feb 11, 1999
McCain indicated he supported the following stance on the Project Vote Smart PNAT in 1998: -Increase penalties for selling illegal drugs -Impose mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs -Impose capital punishment for convicted international drug traffickers -Strengthen current laws dealing with non-controlled substances, including inhalants and commercially available pills
Project Vote Smart PNAT, 1998
http://glassbooth.org/explore/index/john-mccain/10/medical-marijuana-and-drug-policy/1/