Ron Paul 2012: Paul Gains Momentum, Supports Decriminalization of Marijuana in Washington State

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul Friday criticized the criminalization of Marijuana in Washington state. He was speaking at a campaign event in the state.

Paul, who hopes to do well in the state GOP caucus, said that people should be allowed to make their own decisions.

Questioning the war on drugs by the governments, he told a crowd of more than thousand supporters at a rally in Vancouver in Portland, If we are allowed to deal with our eternity and all that we believe in spiritually, and if we're allowed to read any book that we want under freedom of speech, why is it we can't put into our body whatever we want?

Ron Paul is a strong supporter of legalizing medical Marijuana in the country. His stand on the issue got him dedicated support from youngsters.

Stressing on the importance of individual liberty, Paul has been criticizing the criminalization of drug use in the country, throughout his GOP campaigns. Washington state is also expected to vote this year to determine the issue of legalizing Marijuana for recreational use, according to an Associated Press report.

Washington state, which has a sizable population of independent and liberal voters, is considered to be a supportive ground for Paul's libertarian ideology. Paul has also picked up some key endorsements like former Washington State Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders and state Rep.Cary Condotta in the state.

Paul is extensively campaigning in the state and if the size of crowds that gather in his campaign events are any indication, the Texas congressman could outdo his rivals in the GOP caucus here. Paul is expected visit all major counties in the state in the next two weeks before the caucus.

Rick Santorum, who is hoping to leverage on the conservative blocks of voters in the Washington state, is also campaigning here. However, Santorum had some clashes with Occupy protesters at Tacoma in the state on Monday.

There are no GOP opinion polls done in Washington state yet and hence it is difficult to measure the support of the Republican candidates at present.

The state caucus is on March 3.