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SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — Colorado’s recreational marijuana law took center stage for a time during the Republican presidential debate Wednesday night.

It certainly was a political point of contention.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie defended his position that if he’s elected president, he would enforce the federal law and make it illegal to smoke marijuana recreationally in Colorado.

Jeb Bush voted against legalizing marijuana in Florida, but he argued Colorado could make its own decisions. Then Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul went on the offensive.

“Gov. Christie would go into the state of Colorado and if you’re breaking any federal law, even though the state law allows it, he would put you in jail,” Paul said.

Marijuana remains a controlled substance under federal law and its use and possession is illegal.

Bush admitted he smoked marijuana 40 years ago and then joked that his mom probably wouldn’t be happy that he made that admission in front of a national television audience of 25 million people.