INDIANAPOLIS — Gov. Eric Holcomb admitted Wednesday he used marijuana while in college.
Despite the admission, Holcomb is not budging on his position to oppose legalization in Indiana, either for medicinal or recreational use.
Holcomb’s stance comes from one simple fact – it’s illegal.
Under federal law, marijuana is a Schedule I drug, meaning there is no accepted medical use and it has a high potential for abuse. It is on the same level as heroin, LSD, ecstasy and others.
Holcomb is skeptical about the current level of research in marijuana legalization.
“If the law changed, it should change by being informed itself,” Holcomb said. “Not allowing some hodgepodge national effort to organically spring up because some folks are looking the other way. This would require medical research and science.”
Holcomb said if the federal law changed, he would reconsider his position.
“If the law changed, we would look at it -- all the positive or adverse impacts it might have on our population,” he said. “But I'm not convinced other states have made a wise decision, both short-term and long-term."
Illinois and Ohio have legalized medical marijuana, and Michigan has legalized it for recreational use. All efforts to decriminalize or legalize marijuana died in the legislature this session.
