Jindal willing to look at national marijuana law changes

As Gov. Bobby Jindal is preparing to sign bills loosening regulations on marijuana in Louisiana, he said he would be willing to take a look at marijuana restrictions on the federal level if he became president.

Jindal sat for an interview with The Des Moines Register on Monday. He was in Iowa to speak at a forum on national security and other issues in Cedar Falls earlier in the day. He has said he'll make an announcement June 24 on whether he will pursue the Republican nomination for president.

One Louisiana bill Jindal is planning to sign includes reducing penalties for marijuana possession. The other would allow doctors to sell medical marijuana in a non-smokable form that would be sold at limited pharmacies in the state.

But at a national level, Jindal said, he would need to look at current laws before deciding whether legislation similar to Louisiana's should take hold across the country.

"We were happy to do it at the state level," Jindal said. "If it makes sense, if there are federal laws that need to be re-examined, I'd be willing to look at those."

He also approved of a bipartisan effort in Congress related to sentencing reform that reduces penalties for those who commit nonviolent crimes, while adding harsher punishment for those committing violent crimes.

"I think that's good for citizens, and I think that's good for taxpayers," Jindal said.

For more on the Jindal interview, see The Des Moines Register.