Beto O’Rourke, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate seat in Texas, said that marijuana is “legal in most states in this country.” Is that a fact? Gardner Selby of the Politifact Texas fact-checking team has the answer.
At an outdoor rally in Austin, O’Rourke revisited his contention that the nation’s war on drugs has been a failure. He called for treating drug addiction as a health challenge, not a matter of criminal justice. Generally, he favors decriminalizing marijuana by federal law.
“Only some are getting arrested,” he said. “Only some are doing time. Only some are checking a box on an application form that makes it that less likely that they’ll get that job. Only some will not qualify for Pell Grants for possession of a substance that is legal in most states in this country.”
Hear how O’Rourke’s claim scored in the player above.
Written by Morgan Kuehler.
