The mainstream media has been consumed completely with the presidential race, but let us not forget it's not the only one going on and there are some important positions to help shape the future of Iowa and our country. One of our countries biggest issues that has come to light is the war on drugs. Each year countless people are arrested for possession of marijuana, a movement that started from Richard Nixon in 1971.

"According to the ACLU’s original analysis, marijuana arrests now account for over half of all drug arrests in the United States. Of the 8.2 million marijuana arrests between 2001 and 2010, 88% were for simply having marijuana. Nationwide, the arrest data revealed one consistent trend: significant racial bias. Despite roughly equal usage rates, Blacks are 3.73 times more likely than whites to be arrested for marijuana." - ACLU.org

Federally marijuana is still a schedule 1 drug, which means studying its effects are illegal. States that have worked to decriminalize marijuana have seen immense benefits. Colorado has raised millions on retail marijuana, submitting the first $40 million dollars in excise tax revenue to school construction in the state constitution. The U.S. has  $1 Trillion wasted tax dollars and over 50,000 people put behind bars for drug law violations since 1971.

One candidate Rick Stewart is running for Linn County sheriff and focuses on combatting this.On a personal level Rick has responded to all questions and criticisms in great length of his policies and views on various political issues.

"Our government wastes $100 billion a year fighting a Drug War which accomplishes nothing and hurts countless innocent people. I think this is crazy!" - Rick Stewart

Learn more about the benefits of decriminalizing marijuana here or Rick Stewart on his official site, and engage in political discussion on his Facebook page here.

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