As Indiana’s 43rd attorney general, I spent years fighting to protect Hoosiers from the dangers of drug abuse, including the push to legalize marijuana. I wrote op-eds warning that marijuana legalization would open the door to greater opioid harm, not less. I stood with law enforcement and prosecutors across the state in opposing any form of recreational or loosely regulated “medical” marijuana. My position was rooted not in politics, but in the evidence: marijuana is not harmless, and government has a duty to shield our families, especially our children, from its risks.
That is why Gov. Mike Braun’s recent comments demand a response. In a March 2026 fireside chat, the governor described himself as “kind of agnostic” on medical marijuana. He noted that Indiana is surrounded by four states that have legalized either medical or recreational cannabis and suggested we will “probably have to address it” to avoid lagging behind.
