美国国家公共电台 NPR John Boehner Was Once 'Unalterably Opposed' To Marijuana. He Now Wants It To Be Legal

 

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

This weekend, the annual South by Southwest festival is wrapping up in Austin, Texas. Now, South by Southwest is known for its tech, film and music scene, but more political and policy types are making their way to the Texas capital. This year, the Republican former speaker of the House and Ohio Congressman¹ John Boehner gave a keynote speech. It was not about bipartisanship or civility or some of the other things that former statesmen usually talk about. It was about cannabis. Last year, John Boehner joined the board of directors for Acreage Holdings. That's a company that cultivates, processes and dispenses² cannabis. And former Speaker Boehner's with us now from Austin, Texas. Mr. Speaker, thank you so much for talking to us.

JOHN BOEHNER: I'm glad to be with you.

MARTIN: You know, I think people might be surprised. Your one and only vote on this issue came in 1999 when you voted to prohibit medical marijuana in Washington. In 2011, you're quoted as saying you were "unalterably opposed to legalization." So what changed your mind?

BOEHNER: Well, I feel like I'm like your average American who, over the years, began to look at this a little differently. And I think, over the last five years, my position just kind of softened³ up and softened up. And then, I began to chat with people, you know, parents with children who have seizures⁴ who found relief with CBD and talked to some veterans who had some PTSD issues, some ongoing⁵ chronic⁶ pain issues. So I began to move. And then Acreage people came to talk to me, and I really wasn't going to do this. But I decided⁷, well, I'm going to do some more research.

And so I started to reach out to some of my friends, neighbors and others, and I thought, you know, there's more interest in this than I would've guessed. And 33 states have passed the use of cannabis in some form in their states. And, you know, I haven't been around the political process all these years. But when the American people speak up, those who are elected begin to listen. And so I decided I'm going to lend my voice to this discussion. I think it's an important discussion, and it's at the right time to do it.

MARTIN: So I take it if you're on the board of this company, you're not just talking decriminalization but, rather, you're talking legalizing cannabis. Am I right about that?

BOEHNER: At this point, 33 states have approved the use of cannabis in some form in their states, and the federal government frankly⁸ is standing⁹ in the way of legitimate¹⁰ businesses in these states trying to operate, you know? Banks won't take the money because, federally, it's, quote, "illegal." And so the federal government needs to move out of the way and allow these states to do what they've been doing now over the last five or six years.

MARTIN: Do you favor medical use only, or do you also feel that recreational use should be permitted?

BOEHNER: I don't - if somebody wants to use this recreationally, that's their business. But because it's a Schedule I narcotic¹¹, according the federal government, the only real research that's done really has been coming out of Israel. And as long as it stays a Schedule I narcotic, it's going to be very difficult to do the kind of research to back up the anecdotal digital evidence that we see and I hear about virtually every single day.

MARTIN: You know, I'm wondering if you have any regrets about your past positions. The data suggests that black people and Latino people nationwide have been arrested and incarcerated¹² for cannabis and other drug crimes at least four times the rate of white people. Now that states are decriminalizing marijuana, at least, for medical use - and as you pointed¹³ out it's, you know, two-thirds and, at this point, it's becoming big business - do you have any regrets about the fact that so many people have spent so much time in jail for something that you now don't think should be illegal?

BOEHNER: Well, you know, almost all those people are incarcerated under state laws. Federal government made some movement late last year in terms of criminal justice reform, something that I've frankly been for for a long time. I just don't think we need to be crowding our jails with people who are not a threat to society. And using marijuana, in my view, is not a threat to society.

MARTIN: So I'm asking you if you have any regret for your past positions given, particularly, that, you know, you, as the leader of the Republican Party, is an important figure in the party...

BOEHNER: No, I don't have any regrets at all. I was opposed to the use of it. The whole criminal justice part of this - frankly, it never crossed my mind.

MARTIN: And now that this is becoming not just decriminalized but legalized and a lot of large companies are getting involved in it, it does seem that many of the people who've paid a heavy price for something that you now think should not be legal are not being able to participate in part because they have criminal records or because they're afraid to be in it. I mean, do you think that something should be done about that?

BOEHNER: Yeah, I do. I frankly think the states, especially those states who have approved the use of cannabis, ought to be looking at the criminal justice reform in those states. I think it's entirely¹⁴ appropriate.

MARTIN: You know, there's another side of it. There have been a number of articles written about people who are concerned that not enough research has been done about the use, what dosage, all those kinds of things. There's one study in Colorado that suggests that, you know, heavy users account for most of the demand, and some people are concerned that legalization makes it easier for heavy users to abuse the drug. Do you have any concerns about that?

BOEHNER: No. It's just like any other drug, any other vice¹⁵. It can be used to excess and likely will. But that doesn't mean that we should take wine or liquor off the market or beer or cigarettes for that matter. And I do think that, by decriminalizing, you're going to open up a lot more research so we can learn more about the 4,000-year history of the use of this plant.

MARTIN: So, finally - oh, thank you for joining us to talk about this. You know I'm going to ask you - you've been known to enjoy an adult beverage¹⁶ from time to time, so I hear.

BOEHNER: That's absolutely true.

MARTIN: Have you ever sampled the product that your company makes? And what do you think of it?

BOEHNER: No, I've never used the product. I really have no plans to use the product. But if other people use the product, who am I to say they shouldn't?

MARTIN: That was the former speaker of the House, former Ohio Congressman John Boehner. Last year, he joined the board of directors of Acreage Holdings. That's a company that cultivates, processes and dispenses cannabis. He spoke¹⁷ to us from the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. Mr. Speaker, Congressman, thank you so much for talking to us.

BOEHNER: Hey, Michel, thanks. No, it was great.

1 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

2 dispenses   

v.分配，分与；分配( dispense的第三人称单数 )；施与；配（药）

参考例句：

• The machine dispenses a range of drinks and snacks. 这台机器发售各种饮料和小吃。
• This machine dispenses coffee. 这台机器发售咖啡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 softened   

（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
• The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

4 seizures   

n.起获( seizure的名词复数 )；没收；充公；起获的赃物

参考例句：

• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year. 今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other causes of unconsciousness predisposing to aspiration lung abscess are convulsive seizures. 造成吸入性肺脓肿昏迷的其他原因，有惊厥发作。 来自辞典例句

5 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

6 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

9 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

10 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

11 narcotic   

n.麻醉药，镇静剂；adj.麻醉的，催眠的

参考例句：

• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。
• No medical worker is allowed to prescribe any narcotic drug for herself.医务人员不得为自己开处方使用麻醉药品。

12 incarcerated   

钳闭的

参考例句：

• They were incarcerated for the duration of the war. 战争期间，他们被关在狱中。 来自辞典例句
• I don't want to worry them by being incarcerated. 我不想让他们知道我被拘禁的事情。 来自电影对白

13 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

14 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

15 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

16 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

17 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。