A huge decision will be upon us come next November. We the people will have the chance to elect the next leader of the free world. But before you make a decision, take a look at the list below and find out where each candidate stands on medical cannabis.

Mitt Romney
Romney is on record as being against legalizing medical marijuana. So much so, that at an event in October of 2007, when he was asked about it by a wheelchair-bound muscular dystrophy he replied, “I’m not in favor of medical marijuana being legal”—and immediately turned his back to the patient. Check out the video of it on YouTube. However, Romney is known to change his mind regarding important issues (take his stance on climate change and Libya for example) so who knows, he may see the light eventually.

Newt Gingrich
Newt claims legalizing marijuana would be the end of our civilization as we know it. On the O’Reilly Factor stated that America’s drug laws should mimic those in Singapore and that anyone who tests positive for drugs should automatically be imprisoned in state-run rehab centers and convicted drug dealers should be hung to death. (Newt also believes that child labor law are stupid and that poor kids should be hired as janitors in the schools they attend. No, we’re not making this up, you can YouTube it also. )

Rick Perry
Perry appears to support a state’s right to legalize medical pot. He wrote in a 2010 book that the 10th Amendment allows such action. In 2007, he signed into law a bill ending automatic arrest for simple pot possession in Texas. So even though he is a hardcore social conservative, he seems to be supportive of medical marijuana.

Ron Paul
Ron Paul is the only pro-legalization candidate and has a long history of opposing drug prohibition. Even though both bills failed, Paul championed the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act of 2008, which would have provided federal protections to qualified cannabis patients, and the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008, which would have legalized possession of up to 3.5 ounces of weed.

Herman Cain
So far Cain has claimed that drug policy should be left up to the states. While some say he was insincere, he has been fairly consistent in claiming that drug policy should be left to the states decide. As an example he said in an interview that states should take the lead in stopping the flow of drugs from Mexico. So even though he dodged questions about legalizing medical marijuana up until a few months ago, it looks like he believes it is a state issue.

Michelle Bachmann
So far, Bachmann has avoided taking a position on medical marijuana. When asked about her stance on medical cannabis at an event at Iowa’s Drake University, she replied that she hadn’t “thought it through.” Personally, that scares me. As a presidential candidate, you should have “thought though” the country’s most controversial issues BEFORE running for President, but hell, that’s just me…

Rick Santorum
Santorum admits to smoking marijuana when he was younger, but declared that recognizing a state’s right to legalize medical marijuana “would be an activity that is not consistent with American values.” He even attacked Perry for suggesting compassionate use was a states’ rights issue. So, I guess its ok for him to smoke it to get high, but not okay for a patient to smoke it to relieve chronic pain. Thanks for the compassion Rick….

Gary Johnson
Johnson’s chances of winning don’t look good, but he is definitely a medical marijuana advocate. He has pushed for cannabis legalization since 1999, and has been using pot medicinally for over five years. His pro-cannabis stance as governor helped New Mexico to pass its medical marijuana program. And if elected president, he has promised that he will pardon anyone convicted of nonviolent marijuana crimes. Finally some good ideas…too bad he’s such a long shot.

Jon Huntsman, Jr.
Huntsman acknowledged that believes the states should decide the legality of medical marijuana. But so far he has only said so once, and since has not said another word about the issue. Keep in mind, he comes from a state where possession of as little as a half-gram can land you six months in jail and he did absolutely nothing to change things while he was Governor.

Andy Martin
Martin not only supports medical cannabis but also calls the War on Drugs a “joke and disaster” and believes drug abuse is not a criminal justice problem, but is a public health problem. Don’t get your hopes up though. Martin also believes President Obama is the foreign-born, illegitimate Muslim son of journalist Frank Marshall Davis and that “Jew survivors” of the Holocaust are out to steal his property. Needless to say he is considered the most unelectable GOP candidate.

Jimmy McMillan
McMillan readily admits that he used pot. In fact he is quoted saying “Oh, hell yeah! I was a pot-smoking motherfucker!” He has also admitted that he has been drinking marijuana tea for 40 years. I love his honesty, but unfortunately he is another long shot.

So weigh your options carefully come next November. The next President will have a lot of influence in shaping the future of medical marijuana in the United States. For patients, it could mean the difference between pain-relief and prison.