A growing push to legalize marijuana in conservative Indiana is setting up a clash among Republican leaders, with Gov. Mike Braun signaling openness to change while Sen. Jim Banks is urging him to hold the line.
The Hoosier State remains one of the few states that largely bans marijuana in all forms, but pressure is mounting as surrounding states have moved to legalize the drug in some capacity.
“I’m kind of agnostic on that issue,” Braun said last month, according to WFYI. “But when you’ve got four states surrounding you, you’re probably going to have to address it.”
Braun has directed state agencies to meet with pro-medical marijuana groups, Marijuana Moment reported on Monday, as his administration weighs whether to revisit the state’s longstanding ban.
Marijuana is now legal for recreational use in 24 states, while 40 states allow it for medicinal purposes, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Braun on Tuesday pointed to recent federal movement on the issue, noting the Trump administration’s decision to reschedule marijuana could make changes at the state level “more likely.” He stressed, however, that any shift in policy should be guided by “what makes sense” and include input from law enforcement.
“You’re going to need to ask the legislators and the leaders in those two chambers to see what they’re thinking, because I’m clear in terms of where I’m at,” Braun said Tuesday, according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle. “You’ve got to take what’s evolved over time.”
Banks, meanwhile, is warning that even limited legalization could carry serious consequences. In a letter to Braun on Tuesday, exclusively obtained by The Daily Wire, the Indiana Republican argued that legalizing marijuana would put public safety at risk.
“Even in states that limit recreational use, addicts are accessing medical marijuana cards—and medical use itself can lead to use disorders,” Banks wrote. “Making marijuana legal does not make it safe, and it does not reduce usage.”
Banks urged Braun to “prioritize public safety and the well-being of Hoosiers—especially those under the age of 18—and maintain the state’s prohibitions on marijuana use.”
The senator said he frequently hears from constituents who want stricter controls, not looser ones.
“They tell me about how their children’s lives were ruined by addiction; how they treat the consequences of cannabis disorder in hospitals every day; and how schools are struggling to stop students from smuggling marijuana onto campus using vape pens,” Banks wrote.
Efforts to loosen Indiana’s marijuana laws have repeatedly stalled in the state legislature, according to 21 Alive News.
At the federal level, officials from the Trump administration have framed recent changes as an opportunity to expand research and better understand the drug’s effects.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said last week that the “rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information.”
“The Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand Americans’ access to medical treatment options,” he added.
The Daily Wire reached out to Gov. Braun’s office for comment on the letter.
