Washington, DC – Following the conclusion of the first Democratic presidential candidate debate tonight, in which Sen. Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton were asked about marijuana legalization, National Cannabis Industry Association executive director Aaron Smith pointed out a consensus developing among the presidential candidates in both major parties.

“Despite differing specifics on marijuana policy, nearly every presidential candidate – Democrat and Republican – has now offered support for the continuation of state policy reforms,” said Smith. “Given that the 2016 election is likely to result in several new states with legal medical or adult-use marijuana programs, that’s a critical piece of progress.”

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