Marijuana Not High Obama Priority.

Lame · Dec 16, 2012

President Obama says recreational users of marijuana in states that have legalized the substance should not be a "top priority" of federal law enforcement officials prosecuting the war on drugs.

"We've got bigger fish to fry," Obama said of pot users in Colorado and Washington during an exclusive interview with ABC News' Barbara Walters.

"It would not make sense for us to see a top priority as going after recreational users in states that have determined that it's legal," he said, invoking the same approach taken toward users of medicinal marijuana in 18 states where it's legal.

Obama's comments on marijuana are his first following Colorado and Washington voters' approval of Nov. 7 ballot measures that legalize the recreational use and sale of pot in defiance of federal law.

Marijuana, or cannabis, remains classified under the Controlled Substances Act as a Schedule I narcotic whose cultivation, distribution, possession and use are criminal acts. It's in the same category as heroin, LSD and "Ecstasy," all deemed to have high potential for abuse.

Obama told Walters he does not – "at this point" – support widespread legalization of marijuana. But he cited shifting public opinion and limited government resources as reasons to find a middle ground on punishing use of the drug.

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
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"This is a tough problem, because Congress has not yet changed the law," Obama said. "I head up the executive branch; we're supposed to be carrying out laws. And so what we're going to need to have is a conversation about, How do you reconcile a federal law that still says marijuana is a federal offense and state laws that say that it's legal?"

The president said he has asked Attorney General Eric Holder and the Justice Department to examine the legal questions surrounding conflicting state and federal laws on drugs.

"There are a number of issues that have to be considered, among them the impact that drug usage has on young people, [and] we have treaty obligations with nations outside the United States," Holder said Wednesday of the review underway.

As a politician, Obama has always opposed legalizing marijuana and downplayed his personal history with the substance.

Obama wrote in his 1995 memoir, "Dreams from My Father," that he would smoke pot regularly with his high school buddies who formed a "club of disaffection." The group was known as the "Choom Gang," says Obama biographer David Maraniss.

"There are a bunch of things I did that I regret when I was a kid," Obama told Walters. "My attitude is, substance abuse generally is not good for our kids, not good for our society.

"I want to discourage drug use," he added.

While the administration has not prioritized prosecutions of marijuana users and small-scale distributors in states where it's legal, it has not ceased prosecutions altogether. The Justice Department has continued raids on pot providers – including in states where they are legal – in an approach that experts say is more aggressive than Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush.

"I never made a commitment that somehow we were going to give carte blanche to large-scale producers and operators of marijuana – and the reason is, because it's against federal law," Obama told "Rolling Stone" in an interview earlier this year.

It "is a murky area," Obama told the magazine, "where you have large-scale, commercial operations that may supply medical marijuana users, but in some cases may also be supplying recreational users. In that situation, we put the Justice Department in a very difficult place if we're telling them, 'This is supposed to be against the law, but we want you to turn the other way.' That's not something we're going to do."

Obama and the Office of National Drug Control Policy say the negative impacts of widespread marijuana legalization loom large.

Legalization would lower the price of "weed," thereby fueling its use and triggering more widespread negative health effects and subsequent costs of care, the administration says in its official policy position. Officials also say legalization would do little to curb drug violence or eliminate cartels.

"When you're talking about drug kingpins, folks involved in violence, people who are peddling hard drugs to our kids and our neighborhoods that are devastated, there is no doubt we need to go after those folks hard," said Obama.

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"It makes sense for us to look at how we can make sure that our kids are discouraged from using drugs and engaging in substance abuse generally," he said. "There's more work we can do on the public health side and the treatment side."

Colorado and Washington are the first states to legalize recreational use of marijuana, presenting a fresh challenge for the Obama Justice Department to navigate in a second term.

While public opinion has shifted toward legalization over the past few years, Americans remain divided about the personal use of pot.

Fifty percent of American adults oppose legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use, while 48 percent would support such a measure, according to a November ABC News/Washington Post poll. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 points.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat who personally opposed legalization, on Monday formally approved the voter-backed amendment to the state constitution legalizing recreational use of marijuana.

The measure will allow individuals to possess one ounce of pot and up to six marijuana plants and licensed stores to sell marijuana starting next year.

Washington State last week officially became the first to allow recreational use of marijuana when a voter-approved ballot measure took effect.

In both states, pot use remains illegal in public. Eighteen states have approved the use of marijuana for medicinal use with a doctor's order. Federal law still prohibits all use and sale of marijuana.

ABC News' Jason Ryan contributed to this report.
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http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS...ority-drug-war/story?id=17946783#.UMzYZnPjkYk

T V · Dec 16, 2012

There is a difference between drug use and substance abuse...

Jason_x · Dec 16, 2012

Legalization would lower the price of "weed," thereby fueling its use and triggering more widespread negative health effects and subsequent costs of care, the administration says in its official policy position. Officials also say legalization would do little to curb drug violence or eliminate cartels.
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I would love for the president to explain this one.
I mean I know he downplays his own past but being a hypocritical asshat, and very well knowing there are not any negative side-effects other than the munchies.

FloydZeppelin · Dec 16, 2012

Jason_x said: ↑

I would love for the president to explain this one.
I mean I know he downplays his own past but being a hypocritical asshat, and very well knowing there are not any negative side-effects other than the munchies.
Click to expand...

I've been questioning that for awhile. I've also wondered why people think that the tiny dent it would put in our deficit is going to be the cure of our debt...

Jason_x · Dec 16, 2012

FloydZeppelin said: ↑

I've been questioning that for awhile. I've also wondered why people think that the tiny dent it would put in our deficit is going to be the cure of our debt...
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But it could start with the united states, then think macro economics.
If legalizing it here did so much good other countries will follow suite.
Before said countries polices can allow their citizens to grow they can import industrial grade hemp, as well as Medicinal grade Marijuana.
It might not cure the deficit, but it might put a nice dent in it.

Lame · Dec 16, 2012

legalizing alcohol during the depression helped quite a bit. Why would marijuana not help.

Noam · Dec 16, 2012

Jason_x said: ↑

But it could start with the united states, then think macro economics.
If legalizing it here did so much good other countries will follow suite.
Before said countries polices can allow their citizens to grow they can import industrial grade hemp, as well as Medicinal grade Marijuana.
It might not cure the deficit, but it might put a nice dent in it.
Click to expand...

It'd do good here, but if it was used worldwide the US would turn it into an import, not an export. International trade of pot with South America would just suck money out of the economy. Middle and South America are much more attractive growing locations since it's cheap and high quality.

Jason_x · Dec 16, 2012

Yeah it makes since from that aspect, but I mean South america hasnt been known produce very good product. I doubt any continent on a major scale could.

mage3158 · Dec 16, 2012

Noam said: ↑

It'd do good here, but if it was used worldwide the US would turn it into an import, not an export. International trade of pot with South America would just suck money out of the economy. Middle and South America are much more attractive growing locations since it's cheap and high quality.
Click to expand...

Except the United States does just fine with growing plant related products. This would be no different.

Emperor Nero · Dec 17, 2012

Jason_x said: ↑

very well knowing there are not any negative side-effects other than the munchies.
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I would like to see the studies you can reference to prove this, because there are numerous studies that show long term side effects to regular and dependence level usage. A study recently showed that kids who actively consumed pot during their teenage years showed a drop in IQ points, difficulty learning, and slowed reaction times. People who picked it up in their early to mid twenties didn't show these side effects. The fact is that any chemical that alters the function of your brain is going to have long term side effects, it doesn't matter if it is pot or floor cleaner.

I support legalization for 21 an older, why not? Consenting adults and all that jazz. As long as they aren't out driving under the influence or putting other in harms way then it is fine with me.

Jason_x · Dec 17, 2012

http://www.onlinepot.org/medical/add&mmj.htm
Study on add

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,117541,00.html
Script were given to calm kids down.

http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_flyer1.shtml
Errowids vault is a great place to look if you feel lost on issues of other psychotropics.

I forgot to post a few Alzheimer studies that show it reduces memory impairment.
http://www.healthnewstrack.com/health-news-811.html

Effects of dronabinol on anorexia and disturbed behavior in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
http://www.cannabis-med.org/studies/ww_en_db_study_show.php?s_id=59

Cannabinoids reduce the progression of Alzheimer's disease in animals
www.cannabis-med.org/english/bulletin/ww_en_db_cannabis_artikel.php?id=187#1

http://www.drugscience.org/Petition/C3F.html
http://www.csdp.org/publicservice/medicalmj08.htm
study saying that mariujana discourages he use of harder drugs

Whta you are referring to is a study on people under the age of 18 which has a 1% percent chance of effectiveness up until the age of 18 where it drops to almost 0. I read the same thing, and people post about it all the time in legalization forums.

PLus I dont understand how pot could do such a thing, when your brain itself has cbd and thc receptors. CBD is an inhibitor of many good things for your body such as promoting cell growth. The only reason it affects memory in any way is because it temporarily jacks into your short term memory receptors, but that itself is the thc. Its not a permanent effect.
Marijuana has also been known to cure cancer in various forms.

Im going to link you a few norml links.

http://norml.org/library/cannabis-and-the-brain-a-user-s-guide

http://norml.org/library/health-rep...supports-marijuana-law-reform?category_id=555

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090706090440.htm
I study showing that it reduces the dependence of morphine in rats.

Maybe you could post said study that says it decreases IQ.
Because many famous and intelligent people smoke on the regular.

{If you have anymore questions consult granny}
http://forum.grasscity.com/medical-...ions/645925-grannys-mmj-list-july-2010-a.html

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Marijuana Not High Obama Priority.

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