Q&APhoto: reason.com REASON 71
Former Congressman and Pharma
Lobbyist Billy Tauzin Comes
Around on Cannabis
INTERVIEW BY NICK GILLESPIE
“Cancer took 65 pounds off of me and beat the hell out of me,” says
Wilbert “Billy” Tauzin, the former congressman from Louisiana’s third
district. “Now I’m watching patients use medical marijuana products
to get through that a lot easier than I did, and I’m thinking, ‘Wow, why
didn’t we have that oppor tunit y 1 5 years ago? ’”
After serving in Congress from 1980 to 1995 as a Democrat and
from 1995 to 2005 as a Republican, Tauzin made his way through
the revolving door to PhRMA , the lobbying powerhouse that repre-
sents the American pharmaceutical industry. Now 75, Tauzin is living
a third—some might say fourth—act as an advocate for marijuana
reform with LenitivLabs, the medical cannabis company founded by
TV host Montel Williams.
At this year’s Cannabis World Congress and Business Exposition
in New York City, Tauzin spoke to Reason’s Nick Gillespie about the
politic s of pot.
Q: Do all former congressmen have to get cancer before we’re
going to get medical marijuana or recreational marijuana?
A: God, I hope not. I told the audience today that if Congress did a
secret ballot, we’d win tomorrow easily.
Q: A lot of people in the legalization space are worried that Big
Pharma will try to keep marijuana from becoming legal so it
can’t compete with their existing products. Are those concerns
warranted?
A: The pharmaceutical industry is all about finding new medicines,
and when it’s legally possible for them to go to the [Food and Drug
Administration] with medical marijuana products, they’re going to
be doing that. They’re probably going to come around to cannabis
entrepreneurs who’ve pioneered these medicines, and they’re going
to want to talk to you about acquiring your companies one day. But I
don’t think they’re going to fight it.
Q: Donald Trump said he would sign a bill returning marijuana laws
and regulation to the states. Are you confident Congress will actu-
ally vote on somet hing a n d Trum p will sign it?
A: I think they want to do that. It’s just a question of giving them the
courage to do it. As to Trump keeping his word: You may not like him
one bit, but he keeps his word. He’s doing exactly what he said he
would, to a lot of people’s consternation.
Q: What’s the timeline for full legalization of marijuana? Is it 10
years, is it 15 years, is it already happening and we’ll go outside of
this convention center and it’ll be a done deal?
A: I’ve learned something about the progress of mankind: Anytime you
try to predict something, it’s going to take longer than you think. But
this is moving fast. The tide has turned. We’re past the tipping point.
Ain’t no coming back. I think this is going to happen within five years.
This interview has been condensed and edited for style and clarity. For a
video version, go to reason.com.