Schwarzenegger Announces Support for Abortion Rights, Medical Marijuana
Gubernatorial candidate and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Wednesday during an appearance on a syndicated radio show said that he supports abortion rights and the use of marijuana for medical purposes, but he added that does not support so-called "partial-birth" abortion, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Schwarzenegger said he does not support late-term or so-called partial-birth abortion under any circumstances, including rape, incest and danger to the life of the woman. During the radio interview, Schwarzenegger also said that he "generally favors" parental notification laws requiring minors to obtain the consent of their parents before obtaining an abortion except "in some cases, where there is abuse in the family or problems in the family, then the court should decide." Spokesperson Rob Stutzman said Schwarzenegger has not yet stated his position on whether parental consent should be required for a minor to obtain birth control. Although Schwarzenegger said he would legalize medical use of marijuana, he has taken "no position" on distribution of medical marijuana in clinics, the Chronicle reports (Marinucci, San Francisco Chronicle, 8/28).
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