LITTLE ROCK - Former U.S. Attorney and candidate for the U.S. Senate, Conner Eldridge today announced his support for Issue 6 on the Arkansas ballot, the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment. Acknowledging the work done by those backing Issue 7, Eldridge said he feels Issue 6 is a responsible medical marijuana program for the state of Arkansas.
"As a prosecutor and former U.S. Attorney, I worked alongside law enforcement to fight drug-trafficking and to get drug dealers off the streets," said Eldridge. "No one has been more dedicated to getting dangerous drugs out of our communities, but even I see the real difference between the work I did fighting drug-trafficking and allowing the development of a responsible medical marijuana program in Arkansas and nationally, and that is why I will be voting for Issue 6 on the ballot this year. I will add that I appreciate the hard work done by those backing Issue 7. They also clearly share a belief that marijuana should be available for medicinal purposes for people with cancer and other conditions, and, despite the court's decision, I applaud the work of all parties involved in all efforts to achieve this goal."
"My experience as a prosecutor has shown me that we can fight the spread of illegal drugs and grant access to medical marijuana for people like my stepmother, who passed away from a recurrence of breast cancer in 2010," said Eldridge. "There are more serious offenses we should be focusing on with law enforcement, including large scale drug trafficking involving methamphetamine, heroin, prescription drugs, and cocaine."
Conner Eldridge is the only statewide candidate or elected official that supports a responsible medical marijuana program in Arkansas and has announced support of the one initiative left on the ballot. Senator Boozman has repeatedly stated his opposition to such a program, including voting against an amendment to allow Veterans Administration doctors to recommend medical marijuana to veterans who could be helped with such treatment in states where medical marijuana is legal in 2015. This is one of several votes Sen. Boozman has cast against the interest of our veterans.