Daily Drug War Digest -- September 18, 2026

Iowa Democrat Rob Sand is leading in the governor's race and wants to legalize marijuana,; a bipartisan pair of US senators filed a bill to make it easier to access federal addiction grants, and more. 

Iowa Democratic governor candidate Rob Sand tries to ride a blue-green wave to victory in November. (RobSand.com)

Marijuana Policy

Iowa Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Rob Sand Says Legalize It. During a town hall in Dallas County on Wednesday, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand suggested the state should legalize marijuana and regulate it like alcohol.

"Now when I say: ‘Treat it like alcohol,’ I literally mean treat it like alcohol, so when I hear people say: ‘Well, I don’t want to smell it.’ Same. You shouldn’t be allowed to smoke it in public. A simple rule," Sand said during a campaign event this week. "You can’t drink alcohol in public, right?"

He also called for packaging restrictions so products don't appeal to children: "You shouldn’t be able to use colorful designs on your packages," Sand said. "And if you’re doing gummies…they don’t need to be red and blue and green and look like gummy bears."

And for labeling requirements: "People say: ‘Well, I don’t know Rob. It’s a lot stronger than the stuff that I was smoking in the ’70s.’ To which I say: ‘I wasn’t there. Whatever you say. I believe you," Sand said, to laughter from the West Des Moines crowd. "I don’t have a basis for comparison then or now. I actually haven’t used it, but when you buy a beer you can see what the alcoholic content is on the beer…You can see when you buy hard liquor what the content is on that…We can do that with marijuana as well."

Sand's comments came after an audience member raised the topic: "Everyone’s going to Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, but Iowa’s got the fertile farmland and we’re losing money when people buy marijuana other places. What are you going to do to legalize marijuana and make our economy grow with our farmland?" the man, who did not give his name, said.

Sand is running against Republican opponent Zach Lahn, who does not support marijuana legalization. Although Iowa has been a solidly red state in recent years, the blue wave sweeping across the country this election year looks like it has reached the Hawkeye State, too. RealClearPolling's average of Iowa polls has Sand leading in every major poll in the past month with an average lead of more than five points. 

Iowa has a limited medical marijuana program, but its Republican-dominated legislature has for years blocked any movement toward recreational legalization. 

North Carolina Polls Show Strong Support for Marijuana Legalization, Keeping Hemp Cannabinoid Products Legal. A poll released Thursday by Elon University has found North Carolinians standing up for medical marijuana and providing majority support for marijuana legalization and keeping intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoid products legal. 

Medical marijuana had the support of 75 percent of respondents, with only 11 percent opposed. Support was stronger among Democrats (89 percent) but still a majority among Republicans as well (57 percent). The state currently has only a limited medical marijuana program that has been in place for a decade.

The partisan divide is sharper when it comes to recreational marijuana. While there are 55 percent in favor overall, 74 percent of Democrats want to legalize weed, while only 33 percent of Republicans do. 

Broader recreational marijuana legalization comes in at 55 percent in support overall and 30 percent opposed. While 74 percent of Democrats favor the reform, just 33 percent of Republicans do.

Similarly, 53 percent of respondents said hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoid products should remain legal in the state, with 28 percent opting to ban them. But a whopping majority—82 percent—want to restrict sales to people 21 and over. 

Jason Husser, director of the Elon University Poll and professor of political science and public policy, noted that support for marijuana legalization has remained stable in the state in recent years.

"We found a significant increase in support for legalization between 2017 and 2021 as North Carolinians saw legalization occurring in other states," said Jason Husser, director of the Elon University Poll and professor of political science and public policy. "Over the last five years, support for legalization has largely been stable, with a large majority supporting medical legalization and a small majority favoring recreational legalization. In turn, support for allowing hemp-based THC has similar levels of support and high correlation with support for recreational marijuana," he said. "However, North Carolinians are largely unified in wanting hemp consumables restricted to those 21 or older."

The poll comes as the Republican-dominated state legislature tries to come up with a policy regarding intoxicating hemp products and as Democratic Gov. Josh Stein continues to pressure the legislature on marijuana reform. He called last month for marijuana legalization in a way that "protects kids."

Drug Treatment

Sens. Hassan and Scott Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Significantly Streamline Application Process for Federal Addiction-Related Grant Funding. Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced bipartisan legislation to make it easier for organizations on the front lines of the addiction crisis to apply for grants to prevent substance use, provide addiction treatment, and help people navigate recovery. The Addiction Grants Modernization Act would simplify the process by creating an interactive website where organizations can find and apply for addiction-related federal grants. Additionally, the bill would establish a centralized application that organizations can use to apply for multiple addiction-related grants with similar goals.

Congress has established and funded a range of grant programs that support community-based organizations in their work to prevent substance use, provide treatment for those with addiction, and support people in recovery. However, there is currently no centralized resource for organizations applying for funding to find all grants they may be eligible for. Additionally, applicants must fill out separate applications for similar grants. The Addiction Grants Modernization Act would simplify this process by providing a new website and a centralized application for organizations to find and apply for federal addiction-response grants.

"Local leaders and advocates across New Hampshire are working every day to help Granite Staters enter and stay in recovery — and thanks to their work, we’re finally beginning to see a drop in overdose deaths in New Hampshire. We cannot let up in this fight, and that means making it easier for them to get the funding and resources that they need," said Sen. Hassan, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care. "This bipartisan bill will support the people on the frontlines of fighting this crisis so that they can focus less on red tape and more on their important work of saving lives."

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's 501(c)(4) lobbying nonprofit, the Drug Reform Coordination Network, which also pays the cost of maintaining this website. DRCNet Foundation takes no positions on candidates for public office, in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and does not pay for reporting that could be interpreted or misinterpreted as doing so.)