Christie Takes Stance On Drug War: Treatment For Addicts, Jail For Illicit Suppliers

Promises are being made as presidential candidates hit the campaign trail for the 2024 U.S. election.

Chris Christie, who launched his campaign earlier this month, vowed to "end" the war on drugs, prioritizing treatment for those facing addiction but still aiming for stronger regulations on those who supply drugs.

The former Republican Governor of New Jersey, who is backed by Republican Wall Street donors, was asked during a recent town hall event hosted by CNN what he would "do about the war on drugs, which has obviously failed so miserably." 

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"I want to focus on treatment. Look, your son—and I don't want to pretend to know him, but I know a lot of people have gone through this. And I've had some dear friends who have lost their life to this," Christie told a mother whose son is incarcerated over fentanyl. "He has a disease the same way heart disease, diabetes, cancer. It is a disease, and he can be treated."

The former Donald Trump ally, who was against cannabis decriminalization while in office, also explained why it's absurd to think that putting someone in jail will prevent them from developing an addiction.

"And it's been proven to be wrong because you know what happens? They get drugs in jail," he said. "And so let's be real about this. And let's stop stigmatizing this."

Christie proposes talking about addiction and raising awareness instead.

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"A president can change that dynamic by talking about it—by saying it's a disease and that your son needs the treatment that can help him to have the redemption I talked about," he explained.

Nevertheless, with his views on drug criminalization and addiction rooted in his Catholic faith, Christie has clearly distinguished between criminals and those addicted.

"Yes, I want to be tough on crime—and the dealers who are making money off this, you bet they should be penalized," he said. "But your son sitting in jail tonight, if his crime is that he was addicted and had enough to just feed his own addiction, in my view, he should be in treatment right now, learning how to cope with his addiction and to come home to you. That's what I'd want as president, and that's what I'll fight for."

It remains to be seen whether Christie has changed his stance on cannabis legalization, considering his earlier statement that "every study shows that marijuana is a gateway drug."

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