What is Vivek Ramaswamy’s position on cannabis? “You don’t hear me talk about the war on drugs. I’m not a war on drugs person,” Ramaswamy said when he appeared at a Free State Project event in New Hampshire last June.

Vivek Ramaswamy is an American entrepreneur seeking the Republican nomination to run for President of the United States.

Ramaswamy told the crowd he was “probably the only person in the modern history” of the Republican Party to talk about decriminalizing drugs for people with PTSD and other mental health problems.

“Psychedelics,” he said specifically. “From ayahuasca to ketamine… That’s gotta be part of the solution.”

But what is Vivek Ramaswamy’s position on cannabis? He told Fox News:

We got to catch up with the times. It’s not a popular position in the Republican Party, but I’d just, again, I guess I’m going to speak the truth. Whether you vote for me or not is your choice. I think the time has come to decriminalize it.

Later, a spokesperson from his campaign said:

The current state-level ‘legalization‘ farce contributes to the culture of lawbreaking. It’s literally against the law. For us to pretend otherwise only undermines the rule of law in this country. For that reason, Vivek favors the federal legalization of marijuana.

What is Vivek Ramaswamy’s Position on Cannabis?

What is Vivek Ramaswamy’s Position on Cannabis? Decriminalization or legalization? Once upon a time, those meant the same thing. And indeed, in America, this may still ring true.

Vivek isn’t shy about wanting to rule by executive fiat. Suppose he’s the next U.S. President and unilaterally deschedules cannabis. Not a rescheduling, a complete descheduling.

As far as the federal government is concerned – cannabis is not its business.

Is that decriminalization or legalization? For operators in legal states, it certainly helps their tax situation. And why would the financial system fear a plant the government has delisted as a controlled substance?

Is that legalization or decriminalization? Or are those terms synonymous?

If a Ramaswamy Administration removed cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act entirely, there would be a few implications.

Implications of De-Scheduling Cannabis

Vivek Ramaswamy’s position on cannabis could empower state-level regulations. If the federal government takes a literal hands-off approach, you could argue that’s not legalization.

But is legalization ideal? Should Washington D.C. force states like Idaho to legalize? Suppose people in Idaho want to consume cannabis legally. There are 23 other states they can move to, including next-door neighbors.

Even if all 50 states legalized – isn’t it better to have local regulation of a competitive and complex modern industry? Think of the supply chain: cultivation, production, packaging, distribution, sales, marketing, and everything in between.

Do you want D.C. bureaucrats in charge of all that? Isn’t that how lobbyists capture the process and rig the rules against the little guys?

When The Feds Do Get Involved

Of course, some will argue Vivek Ramaswamy’s position on cannabis can’t be entirely hands-off. Somebody is going to have to regulate interstate commerce and international trade.

Imports and exports are federal jurisdiction and always have been. Of course, Vivek’s brand of governing may detest interstate regulation. A Ramaswamy Administration may create a free-for-all for all industries, not only cannabis.

One can hope.

And, of course, FDA bureaucrats will want to control aspects of cannabis, especially if it’s used in food products or marketed as a medical treatment. In a sense, descheduling and taking a hands-off approach empowers the existing bureaucracy.

But Vivek can use the stroke of the Presidential pen and tell the FDA to buzz off. Such is the state of the American “republic.”

Of course, if Vivek Ramaswamy becomes President, he won’t be able to decline the tax revenue. Who can, really? Except for maybe Ron Paul.

So, the federal government may tax cannabis. And so Vivek Ramaswamy’s position on cannabis matters a great deal. 

But there’s something else. And it involves Vivek’s policy on the Federal Reserve Bank.

Vivek Ramaswamy’s Position on Cannabis & Money Could Change the World 

Vivek Ramaswamy’s position on cannabis and money could change the world. And here’s how.

Experts must control money. That’s what the experts say. That’s why supply and demand don’t determine interest rates. You can’t trust free markets, they say. You need a central planning committee of experts.

But when the hell has that ever worked? This is not the 1920s, this is the 2020s. We have evidence of central planning, and the results are far worse than any of the theoretical excesses of free-market capitalism.

But suppose the experts are right about one thing. The price of money is too volatile to leave to a truly random process. That there should be a more market-based approach to price stability.

As in, leave it to the experts, but not the boardroom suits. Leave it to the people who are actually buying and selling in the market on a daily basis.

Like Vivek Ramaswamy’s position on cannabis, his proposal for the Federal Reserve is a breath of fresh air—a novel idea in an age of corporate-state shallowness.

What is a Government Gold Standard?

A country on a gold standard exchanges its currency for gold at a fixed rate, say, $35 an ounce. And vice versa. So, if the market price of gold goes beyond $35, people bring in their dollars to exchange for gold.

This process means the number of dollars in circulation decreases, so the value of the dollar increases. This continues until the market price of gold is back to $35.

If the market price drops below $35, the same process works in reverse. Historically common, it’s not without its flaws. Governments tinker with the mechanism like a curious 12-year-old who takes apart the television to see how it works (and ends up breaking it in the process).

A gold standard keeps the value of the money constant relative to the market price of gold. Economists have all kinds of critics and rebuttals as to why that wouldn’t work today in the “modern” economy.

To their credit, relying on gold as the sole commodity backing the government currency does run into problems. Especially when governments are always trying to cheat the system.

Vivek Ramaswamy’s position on cannabis stems from listening to the people and the real experts (i.e. not “public health”). He is responding with the correct answers. He has – more or less – done the same with the subject of the Federal Reserve and the money.

What is a Commodity Bundle Standard?

Vivek Ramaswamy should combine his positions on money and cannabis. 

Vivek wants a commodity bundle standard to help solve the problem of using government currency. In this system, the market defines the U.S. Dollar as a collection of commodities. This collection or bundle is valued by what’s in it.

For example, suppose you had one million dollars. You take it to the bank and demand your bundle. It could consist of a few pounds of gold and silver, but it’d mostly be a claim on commodities (i.e. 100 pounds of grade A beef, 10 barrels of crude oil, 1,000 board feet of lumber).

Likewise, anyone who brings in a bundle (the claim on commodities) gets a million dollars. This keeps the bundle’s price at a million dollars and, thus, a stable purchasing power, assuming nobody is messing with the bundle.

Vivek Ramaswamy’s Position on Cannabis & Money Could Change the World 

Vivek Ramaswamy could combine his positions on money and cannabis by including 1,000 pounds of industrial hemp biomass and 500 grams of premium-grade cannabis flower in the commodity bundle.

Regarding “changing the world,” you’ll have to refer to some of our past posts on the subject. 

The main takeaway: eliminating the elite’s ability to create money out of thin air and charge interest on it can only be construed as a step in the right direction. 

In fact, it’s the first step. 

Those who use marijuana skin care claim that the hydrating, anti-inflammatory properties save their skin and lips, while beauty experts suggest that cannabis-infused products may help treat skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and dry scalp without any psychoactive effects.

While most of the information available on the effects of marijuana skin-care products is anecdotal, some clinical research by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology and the National Center for Biotechnology Information exists showing that cannabinoids from cannabis have anti-aging and antioxidant properties. The cannabinoid molecules interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a network of cell receptors that stretching throughout the entire human body to control all kinds of vital functions.

These studies also confirm that cannabinoids, especially CBD, are responsible for lipid production and, therefore, help regulate conditions such as dry skin or acne when applied topically. It’s also an excellent treatment for psoriasis, eczema, and muscle cramps.

Sensimilla Soaps and Soaks

Cannabis seed oil is anti-inflammatory that helps decrease the activity of oil glands, which may explain a benefit in acne. Back pain, sore muscles and joints can all benefit from a scrub with a cannabinoid-rich soap. Sensimilla, a type of marijuana with high THC, will give you a genuine body buzz. Plus, topical application of cannabis is non-psychoactive and is safe enough for the whole family. Your choice of soap may contain CBD, THC or both but it should also be made of ingredients that are gentle on skin.

RELATED: CBD Bath Bombs Sound Relaxing, But Do They Work?

Marijuana-filled bath bombs are also being gobbled up by fans of the canna-beauty trend. Warm bath water helps to open pores and allow cannabinoids full penetration for all-over relief. Fair warning to females: medicated bath soaks can cause a slight high due to vaginal exposure.

Lifted Lip Care

Marijuana lip balm soothes chapped lips and takes the idea of illegality and stigma out of using marijuana. The popular, and highly-clandestine pot product that sheds the “stoner” association while still giving the user all the benefits of being high. Whether or not the balm contains THC, the important thing is that it has CBD oil and other agents that will allow lips rebuild their natural oil barrier. Before you buy, here are 4 Things Dermatologist Want You To Know About CBD Lip Balm.

Hemp Hand Protection

RELATED: You Just Bought CBD Lotion — Now What?

The Body Shop has been making hemp hand protector for years, before it was cool. And now that beauty editors across the country are hooked on the craze, the product has become the store’s best seller. Cannabis topicals and creams can treat skin problems from dry skin to rheumatoid arthritic flare-ups and sunburns.  

Cannabis Flower Fragrances

Apply cannabis accord anywhere you like to wear fragrance for an earthy and delicate scent that smells less like a dispensary and more like a chic eastern European boutique.

Anti-aging Potions Medicated with Marijuana

Look for full-spectrum hemp oil face moisturizers that use cannabis sativa oil to correct skin while actively protecting it throughout the day. Cannabis seed oil stimulates the skin’s natural oil production to keep skin firm.

People tend to have two reactions when it comes to using marijuana: they either find it very relaxing or they don’t. Those who belong to the latter group accuse the plant of causing them tons of paranoia and anxiety, making them feel like they are too “in their heads.”

Bad highs are almost like meltdowns, where your body’s reactions become stressful and scary. These episodes are temporary, but they still feel terrible and the only relief is either waiting them out or trying to sleep off the effects. Bad highs are a big reason why some people choose to avoid marijuana altogether.

These anecdotes leave cannabis in an interesting spot. The same plant can produce exact opposite effects in different people, all because of genetics, experience and predisposition to the drug.

RELATED: Does Habitual Marijuana Use Make You Anti-Social?

Marijuana produces effects by interacting with the cannabinoid receptors in our bodies, located in different areas, like our brain and skin. Cannabinoids, such as THC, bind to the receptors in the brain, causing either relaxing or stressful effects. Some of these receptors are located in spots governed by the amygdala, a section of tissue that’s responsible for managing emotions like fear, stress and paranoia.

THC is also known for increasing heart rates and producing an influx of thoughts — both behaviors that can cause anxiety for people that are naturally anxious or who haven’t experienced these feelings before.

RELATED: Marijuana Makes You Paranoid? Study Suggests Your Genes Are To Blame

Studies show that the positive and therapeutic effects of cannabis are due to the influence of cannabinoids on our endocannabinoid systems. These positive results appear even more markedly on patients that have experienced trauma and PTSD, who usually have low levels of chemicals like anandamide.

The most clear link between freak outs and cannabis occurs when people are new to the plant or they’ve had a negative experience with it — both of which create a predisposition towards certain behaviors. What people can do in order to prevent these reactions is to stick to low and manageable doses (avoiding oils and edibles since they’re harder to manage) and smoke somewhere that’s comfortable and private, surrounded by people they trust.

RELATED: What You Need To Know Before Trying Cannabis For The First Time

For newbies and people who’ve had bad experiences with weed but are willing to give it another shot, the type of weed you smoke, your location and companions are pivotal factors. Ask your budtender for a relaxing strain, something that’s focused on the body and not the brain. By trying to manage these factors you can try to curb freak outs and reintroduce yourself to fun experiences with cannabis.