By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
US Senate candidate Dom Gentile has announced that he supports medical marijuana.
Gentile said in a statement, “I have recently met with dozens of people who are stricken with medical conditions such as epilepsy, seizures, severe autism, Alzheimers and MS. Many of them have symptoms that can be relieved by cannabis that is specifically formulated for medical use. As I listened to the passionate pleas of these patients and their families, and understood how this can help them, I became a believer that something needed to be done at the federal level. Medical cannabis is listed as a Schedule 1 controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. It is in the same class as heroin and LSD, and that is absurd. I am calling for the FDA and the DEA to immediately re-classify cannabis for medical use and allow the states to decide how to dispense the drug.”
Gentile continued, “We just need to apply some common sense here and let families have access to the drugs they need to get relief,” added Gentile. “Medical cannabis helps a number of chronic conditions and illnesses – from autistic children to adults fighting cancer, we just need to do the right thing and allow access to a drug that can provide relief.”
Gentile however is not totally on board with legalization of marijuana. “My stance on medical cannabis in no way whatsoever an endorsement for the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana. I am strictly opposed to this.”
Gentile adds, “In this case, it is clear that the enormously powerful pharmaceutical lobby has no interest in supporting a product that cannot be patented like opioid drugs, because that will cost them a lot of money. This is just another reason why the people of this country need to throw out the old style politicians who take money from special interests and support candidates who have never, and will never, accept money from PACs and special interests. We need to focus on the people.”
Gentile says that he will not accept any campaign contributions from special interests.
Dom is originally from Miami, Florida. He attended the University of Alabama where he studied political science. At the University he was elected to the Student Government Association as a senator and played football for the Crimson Tide. Karen, his wife, is also a fellow University of Alabama alum Karen.
Gentile has held senior positions with Fortune 500 companies Duracell, Gillette, and Sara Lee. Dom has worked and lived from coast to coast, including stints in the south, east and west coast. He grew businesses in the US and around the world, worked in over 25 countries, and lived in Asia. He is an internationalist with a global perspective. Dom is also an adjunct instructor and teaches marketing to college students. Gentile says that over the last 13 years, he has grown his own business from nothing to a multi-million dollar enterprise. Dom says that he knows how to create jobs and make a payroll.
Dom says that he is self-funding his campaign, and that that means he isn’t under the influence of special interests.
Gentile is one of ten Republicans running for the Senate seat vacated by Sen. Jeff Sessions when he was confirmed to be US Attorney General. The Republican candidates for the US Senate seat are: James Paul Beretta, Joseph F. Breault, Randy Brinson, Mo Brooks, Dom Gentile, Mary Maxwell, Roy Moore, Bryan Peeples, Trip Pittman, and Luther Strange.
Karen Haiden Jackson was disqualified by the Alabama Republican Party because she had run as an independent in a judicial race last year.
Eight candidates qualified with the Alabama Democratic Party to run in the US Senate Special Primary Election. Qualified candidates are Will Boyd, Vann Caldwell, Jason Fisher, Michael Hansen, Doug Jones, Robert Kennedy, Jr., Brian McGee, and Nana Tchienkou.
The Special Primary will be August 15 and the Special General Election will be December 12.
