Politicians smoke weed to get elected – is this the cool new trend?

This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and has been republished with permission.

Running campaign ads seems to be the latest political trend among aspiring government officials. In the last election cycle, Indiana politicians were all about kissing babies and being seen with children of all races. The latest is capitalizing on the widespread acceptance of marijuana to gain popularity among registered voters.

Thomas McDermott is a Democrat seeking the US Senate seat in Indiana. This trend is more popular among Democrats as McDermott is the second Senate candidate this election season to light a blunt or pack a punch on camera. McDermott’s latest campaign spot shows him sitting in a circle with a blunt in hand in the presence of a few acquaintances.

Even on Day #420, not many Senate candidates admit to smoking weed. I’m not most Senate candidates. I thought a lot about starting this video where I light up. It is an issue that is personal and important to me and so many. #LegalizeIt ➡️ https://t.co/V7VA5PhQpi pic.twitter.com/WaNq01yH49

— Thomas McDermott (@tommcdermottjr) April 20, 2022

What does cannabis have to do with elections?

Cannabis is becoming a widely accepted drug in all parts of the country. Recent polls show that most registered voters would like federal cannabis reform as soon as possible. As expected, this majority will have no choice but to elect politicians who are very likely to fulfill this wish. That’s where people like McDermott come in.

McDermott’s team is riding the wave of cannabis legislation to secure a seat in the US Senate in Indiana. In the 70-plus-second campaign ad, McDermott says decriminalizing and legalizing marijuana are key features of his campaign.

Earlier this year, Gary Chambers, a Democrat, rode the waves of cannabis legalization and was trending for a few days when his campaign video was released. In the video he could be seen smoking weed. Chambers is currently running for the US Senate in Louisiana.

Screenshot by Gary Chambers via YouTube

McDermott’s race for the US Senate

McDermott is the current Mayor of Hammond, Indiana. He is in the running to remove Republican Senator Todd Young from the US Senate from Indiana.

The team at McDermott certainly crossed their Ts and scored their Is while planning this video. The ad itself was published on April 20th. released. So it was guaranteed that thousands of weed lovers would come across the video and it would stick for a while.

RELATED: US Senate nominee Gary Chambers is back at it, visiting a cannabis dispensary after smoking a blunt on camera

Many government officials are not brave enough to admit smoking cannabis, especially those in federal agencies. McDermott revealed that he had speculated a lot about whether or not to release the video in question. He writes that the topic is much more critical and personal to him than many others.

Indiana borders Illinois, a state where medical and recreational cannabis is legal. McDermott’s video was shot about a mile from the state line to back up his point.

In the campaign ad, a lawyer named Shana said that throughout her adult life she has been surrounded by creative and successful people who love and smoke weed. She added that all of these people can’t wait for Indiana to fully decriminalize cannabis. She said they would die for reform. Shana went on to say that when Michigan and Illinois approved their cannabis laws for legal use by residents, many people were overjoyed. Finally, she asked why Indiana couldn’t follow the trend.

A professional distiller, Mike, lauds the economic achievements made by Illinois, Indiana’s neighbor on the western border. Mike highlighted the farms in Illinois that are actively growing cannabis and the huge profits that are being made. He emphasized that Illinois’ legal cannabis market is not only having a huge economic impact on the state, but also on smaller neighboring cities.

RELATED: Cannabis users in Illinois get workplace protections under new law

Despite McDermott’s videos, political analysts claim the chances of him securing the seat are slim. This is because the Indiana Senate has frequently favored Republicans.

Legalization of cannabis in Indiana

In recent months, Indiana Democrats have shown increased support for cannabis legalization. Last November, the party announced that its full support would go to recreational cannabis reforms in the 2022 legislature.

Eighty percent of Hoosiers have shown some form of support for marijuana legalization. The majority understands that this would be an additional source of income for the state and its residents. Hundreds of good-paying jobs would be created, and Indiana would reap a long-term cash harvest.

In the Democratic Party’s official statement, they indicated that a regulated cannabis market would provide therapeutic opportunities for many of the state’s veterans. Thousands of people charged or jailed for even the most basic marijuana crimes would also have their records wiped.

Photo by OsakaWayne Studios/Getty Images

Indiana Democratic Party leader Mike Schmuhl benefited from successful recreational cannabis policies in Michigan and Illinois. He hinted that Indiana is missing out on millions of dollars by delaying the inevitable. Schmuhl called on the majority of the Republic to join the cause of legalizing recreational cannabis. He stressed that it was in the best interest of the state of Hoosier to pass progressive legislation as soon as possible.

Various measures have been introduced at the federal level to legalize or partially decriminalize cannabis. Two of the most prominent measures in this regard are the SAFE Act and the MORE Act. The Democratic-led House of Representatives has shown more willingness to pass cannabis reforms. On the other hand, the Senate is not primarily due to the split in membership between the Democratic and Republican parties.

final remark

Candidates like McDermott and Chambers will continue to emerge at this crucial juncture where cannabis legalization is almost a reality. As the latest ad says, the United States of America needs to legalize cannabis for all purposes. If not for anything, then for the health and economic benefits that citizens could reap from the program.

Indiana lawmakers, like their federal counterparts, must try to understand that the longer they delay cannabis reform, the greater the cycle of criminalization. States with successful cannabis programs including New York, California, Illinois and Michigan can be mimicked.

This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and has been republished with permission.