As the 2024 election approaches, there are a number of Republican candidates who are making waves with their policies.
One of them is Vivek Ramaswamy, a presidential candidate who has broken away from the traditional Republican stance on drugs and is now supporting decriminalization and eventual legalization of certain hard drugs.
This change in opinion is particularly interesting because it goes against what many people expect to hear from a GOP member.
Since beginning his campaign trail, Ramaswamy has been vocal about his willingness to cross boundaries in order to address the demand side of drug markets and prevent fentanyl deaths.
He believes that providing “off ramps” for people to access certain hard drugs—such as psychedelics and ketamine—could be part of the solution.
Ramaswamy has also discussed using U.S military forces to secure borders and combat Mexican drug cartels enabling importation of fentanyl into the country.
Additionally, he’s argued marijuana should be decriminalized, noting that it’s time for America to “catch up with the times.”
Opponents of hard drug legalization often cite Portugal as an example when discussing the potential adverse effects that may occur if such policies were implemented.
In 2001, Portugal had decriminalized all use of drugs within its borders however, this policy has faced backlash in recent years due to increasing crime rates, growing numbers of homeless encampments, long wait times for those looking into rehab programs and overdose rates at 12-year highs.
When asked for comment on this matter, Ramaswamy’s campaign noted that he was still in favor federal legalization of marijuana but did not address any other remarks on hard drugs specifically.
It will be fascinating to see how these ideas continue develop over time as well as how they influence voters when it comes down to election day.
