Indiana Pro-Marijuana Group Is Quickly Gaining Support

Hoosier Veterans for Medical Cannabis has gained quite a bit of support recently. Veteran Jeff Staker leads the group. Four major veterans groups have joined the Hoosier Veterans group’s efforts. This means that hundreds of thousands of people throughout Indiana support legal medical marijuana.

Some attempted to knock down Staker by saying that Indiana would be the last state to legalize medical marijuana, according to WTHI TV 10 News. State Representative Sheila Klinker was one of those people. She may have spoken too soon.

Klinker said, “I think that the Indiana Legislature is willing to look at this, which they have not in the past.”

Staker said, “With 11 pieces of legislation both in the House and Senate, that deal with medical cannabis, or hemp or cannabinoids, you know, we are getting a notice.”

The four groups joining forces with Staker are Indiana American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and AMVETS. A Public Service Announcement aired in December in efforts to gain support of legal medical marijuana in Indiana.

Staker said, “Not only are 3 out of 4 Hoosiers supportive of it, over 80 percent of our veterans are supportive of it.”

In regards to the success of the PSA doing what it was intended to, Staker said, “Absolutely. I mean, as you can see by the numbers in the past three or four weeks, it’s just overwhelming.”

Although some lawmakers don’t think legal medical marijuana will happen this year, Staker remains optimistic.

He said, “They say it’s not going to happen this year. Maybe not, but in my eyes right now – the fight is on.”

A meeting between Staker and Governor Holcomb is scheduled for the near future. Part of Staker’s argument will include mentioning that legal medical marijuana may help fight the state’s opioid epidemic.