In an interview with ABC News, President Obama stated that his administration won’t prosecute marijuana users in Washington, Colorado, or other states where recreational use is legal.
The president told Barbara Walters, “We’ve got bigger fish to fry. 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.” Obama said that he does not support legalization, “at this point,” but he noted that public opinion is shifting on the issue.
President Obama said, “This is a tough problem, because Congress has not yet changed the law. 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?”
Obama’s answer to his own question appears to be something that Republicans preach, but rarely practice. It is a concept that is foreign to current the Republican Party. He is respecting the will of the voters. Barack Obama is demonstrating a greater advocacy for states’ rights than the Republicans who supposedly champion them.
In the same way that Republicans are ignoring the will of a majority of voters on raising taxes on the wealthy and tackling the deficit with a balanced approach, they are also many of the same people who are wringing their hands and dying to prosecute legal marijuana users.
The country is seeing the same kind of public opinion shift on marijuana legalization that is also occurring on same sex marriage.
These public opinion shifts are part of generational cultural change that is already impacting our public policy. The conservative culture warriors are facing dinosaur like extinction. While people like Bill O’Reilly are still going on 8 minute rants about the march of secularization, the rest of the country is moving forward.
Obama sees this shift happening, but as he stated, he also has to balace a responsibility to existing federal drug laws. Since there is zero chance of these laws ever being changed while Republicans control the House and have enough votes in the Senate to obstruct, the best the president can do is agree to respect the will of the majority in states where recreational marijuana use is legal.
Unless Republicans radically alter their position on marijuana, it is going to take a Democratic president and Congress to get something done on legalization. Republicans would be content to pretend like the nation is still living in the 1980s and keep the war on drugs raging on forever.
Democrats embrace and understand the fact that the country is changing. This is why they keep winning elections, while Republican hopes continue to go up in smoke.
PoliticusUSA
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djchefron
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 9:45 am
Great news!Now look for more states to put it on the ballot knowing that you wont be prosecuted by the feds.I can see this as a somewhat minor campaign issue in 2016
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nabsentia23
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 10:10 am
Awesome!
Pot advocates now know what they need to do. Keep doing what they have been doing. Complainers on the Left need to look at the marijuana legalization movement for the perfect example of how you effectively push politicians to act. You don’t sit on the sidelines and complain. You organize and hit the ground running.
Look, pot prohibition is going to go out the same way as alcohol prohibition did (by states refusing to participate).
And honestly, Obama is probably looking at this from an economic viewpoint. The federal government can no longer rely on state authorities in Washington and Colorado to help them federal laws in regards to marijuana, so they will have to take on that responsibility themselves. They also can’t completely count on authorities in the other states where medical marijuana is legal (especially California). The feds have only been able to close a fraction of the mmj discplinaries in that state. It already costs a lot of money to go after the big-time distributors that feds rather be focusing on. Do you know how much money it would cost for them to go after users, too? It’s economically unsustainable.
Now whether or not a state can pass a law that is indirect contradiction to a federal one is a legitimate issue. It’s been this way since our country’s founding. However, Washington and Colorado are still ahead here because they have removed their authorities from the equation.
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Chris
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 10:39 am
The major difference between alcohol prohibition and cannabis prohibition is money. When alcohol prohibition was in effect a select few business were effected; there fore the politicians were not loosing much money.
With cannabis prohibition there are many business’s that are going to see a drastic profit reduction; this will directly effect they politicians.
This is the only reason that “This is a tough problem, because Congress has not yet changed the law.”
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nabsentia23
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
Actually, alcohol prohibition effected a large segments of the business community. And, if anything, some politicians who were crooked made out like bandits due to bribery. The business community was actually able to postpone prohibtiton for a number of years. However, when the federal government switched from corporate taxes to income taxes when getting revenue, the writing was on the wall.
Alcohol prohibition ended much sooner for two reasons: 1) Alcohol is more addictive than weed. Alcohol had become (and still is) a crucial part of the cultures of many people. And 2) because of #1 – the crime and vice alcohol prohibition caused was astronomical. Organized crime is actually a product of alcohol prohibition.
Weed prohibition has gone on much longer because the crime and vice it caused was not seen by most Americans for a number of years. For decades, users and small-timer deals have been quietly been going to jail. But, now, it’s becoming obvious that the legal consequences of wee are worse than the drug itself. And the crime is more obvious. Thanks to weed’s illegality, we have drug wars going on in Mexico. People are getting tired of this. Then, you have a younger generation who don’t understand why this is continuing anyway.
Yes, there are a lot of industries that may take a hit if weed comes legal. However, are these companies willing to foot the bill for the federal government to enforce these laws on their own? I don’t think so. Also, I think the industry with the most to lose here is Big Pharma. Some say the alcohol industry, but I don’t believe it. Alcohol is more addictive and is heavily interwoven in the fabric of American life. I really don’t think Big Booze has anything to worry about. Especially since marijuana and alcohol are a favorite combination among many users.
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nabsentia23
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 12:54 pm
“This is the only reason that “This is a tough problem, because Congress has not yet changed the law.”
Hello! Obama is right on this point. The GOP is totally against legalization. And the law in question, The Controlled Substance Act” was passed by Congress. Richard Nixon (despite advocating it) only signed it into law. So, it will take Congress to change it.
However, it may not even have to come to that. Marijuana needs to be rescheduled to a lower group. And the Feds have vigorously opposed it. As a matter of fact, there’s a court case now (started by those effective MJ advocates) to determine whether or not the DEA overstepped its boundaries when it unilaterally dismissed a petition to have marijuana rescheduled.
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robyn ryan
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 3:02 pm
The overarching problem is the generalized contempt for law and government that prohibition encourages.
Once the government imposes laws that the majority of the citizenry ignore, the government loses authority.
PBO is trying to mitigate that contempt by directing it towards Congress, where it belongs.
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Reynardine
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 10:37 am
Pot is a vegetable. It’s good for you.
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Johnee
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 11:10 am
And mamma always told me to SMO…er…EAT my vegetables! Lol
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Reynardine
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 1:21 pm
And, lest the vintners be in fear, this vegetable is not bad buffered with some appreciatively-sipped Malaga, Viña 25, or a good port.
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Shiva (Moderator)
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 1:27 pm
Arnt you a little old to be getting hammered?
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Reynardine
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 9:53 pm
With age cometh wisdom: I know how to pace myself.
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Johnee
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 10:43 pm
“cometh”?
Rey, why doth thou speaketh in a biblical tongue?
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Reynardine
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Because I am oldeth and wiseth (though not, as of now, tipsyeth or stoneth). And everyone knows good vegetables are improved by good wine.
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Reynardine
Dec. 15th, 2012 at 10:56 am
Note, Shiva: I am not an old lady. I am a terrible old lady, and terrible old ladies keep in shape to lead their terrible old lives through the regular consumption of vegetables.
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Reynardine
Dec. 16th, 2012 at 9:37 am
Smoked vegetables are not only tasty, they enhance the flavor of everything else.
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Denise Flynn
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 10:45 am
The DOJ might not go after pot users, but I bet they will be busting growers & sellers.
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nabsentia23
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
This is probably true.This has been the government’s MO since the beginning of the Drug War. However, the feds may hit an economic brick wall here as well. The number of suppliers will probably increase like it did in California. And drug suppliers will find a way to get their product to users. Especially when their users are legally able to possess it.
And trust me when I say this, but I’ve seen where the Drug War is headed when it comes to suppliers and it doesn’t look good for the federal government.
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Russ Hurley - for Ohio Congress 2014
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 11:21 am
Legalize, tax and industrialize in America to gain energy independence by 2020. Help me go to Washington to end Prohibition. If I get 50 thousand likes on my facebook page. I will run and do my best to win and help bring the Hemp industry to Ohio and the nation. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Russ-Hurley-for-Congress-2014/310248069076432?skip_nax_wizard=true
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Johnee
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 11:40 am
Any one that thought that Obama could order an immediate cessation of the ridiculous “war on drugs” is being totally unrealistic. The political landscape simply wouldn’t have allowed it, and he would have been a one term president.
The general public has slowly but surely been waking up to the fact that it is a complete double standard to have alcohol ( which is responsible for a great deal of death and pain)legal, and weed illegal.
Obama is playing his cards right. This opposition will wither and die on the vine.
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Shiva (Moderator)
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Just like with gay rights. If Obama tried to shove them through it would not have worked. Now he lets the people change on their own and everything will come out fine for them
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Johnee
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
Exactly! Some far left progressives have all the subtlety of a freight train. They don’t understand that when something is entrenched in society culturally and politically for decades or even centuries, that It WILL NOT completely change overnight…and any one that tries to do so is doomed to fail.
Unfortunately, simply doing the right thing immediately, will not work out in the long run. In politics one has to be a poker player, a manipulator, a diplomat, and a stategist, at all times in order to get things done.
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nabsentia23
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 12:35 pm
Try explaining this to many people in the MJ legalization movement. Luckily, the leaders of that movement are fully aware of how drug policy is handled in this country and thus are effective.
The thing is that the Justice Department is not the personal enforcement arm of the President. The Attorney General, despite being an appointed cabinet position, as a greater duty to upholding existing federal laws than following a President’s political agenda. Besides, we’ve been down this road before. Does anybody remember Alberto Gonzalez? Nope, despite me being in total disagreement with the federal law regarding marijuana, I don’t expect Obama and Holder to repeat the mistakes of their predecessors.
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Michele
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 11:48 am
Republicans are the ones always screaming about small government, state’s rights, and secession but when the people and the states decide they want to legalize at the very least medicinal marijuana they change their tune. That’s bc they don’t mean small government when it involves your personal life, they mean small government for business regulations such as lowering EPA standards so they can pollute, loosening regulations on Wall Street, trade, and worker’s rights and getting rid of the minimum wage and unions. But the Democrats don’t have the balls to call them out on this, they never had and they never will. Over half of the country wants legalized medicinal marijuana and decriminalization of personal marijuana but our government won’t budge bc of the drug companies. They can’t patent a plant so therefore they don’t want anything to do with marijuana if they can’t make extreme amounts of money off of it. When it’s something anyone can grow themselves it’s no use to them. Lobbyists and money are the only thing that matter in this country.
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djchefron
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 11:59 am
Dont forget the Prison Industrial Complex.This iz big bizness and they dont want their income sourcr dried up.
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Johnee
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 12:33 pm
Hell yeah. Who do you think that stat of 2 million incarcerated offenders largely consists of?
Prisons for profit are THE biggest example out there that you cannot privatize everything under the sun.
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A Walkaway
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 12:56 pm
One other person mentioned the real reason for the “war on drugs”, and while it’s reasonable in the light of things like heroine and cocaine (both of which are disasters in the making), it makes no sense whatsoever regarding HEMP.
If you look into the history of the outlawing of hemp/marijuana, you’ll learn it was done because paper used to be made from hemp fibers – and it was very stable and long-lasting paper at that. A rich man (well known in history) by the name of Hearst bought out the patent for a new way of making paper using wood pulp and acid, and combined with his racist hatred of Mexicans (the only people who regularly smoked marijuana), pressed the government into banning the stuff.
That’s a large part of where the Hearst wealth came from! He had a monopoly on paper production!
The fact is, Hemp has been used by my people for a long time – (NO, contrary to some myths (LIES), we never smoked it – only tobacco cut with other herbs, none of which could get you high), for cloth, for ropes and cordage, and for other things. I know that it can be consumed as a food source (the people in areas of the “far east” would make a butter substitute out of it and the seeds are supposed to have medicinal qualities, along with the leaves).
Hemp is/was used in ceremony, but again NOT SMOKED. The plant we knew had very little of the “high” ingredient anyway.
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Zac C
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 4:48 pm
That’s not true.
First of all, the smoking of marijuana has been around since the ancient times. The only difference between cannabis indica/cannabis Sativa and cannabis ruderalis (hemp) is the THC content, and the flowering cycles. Hemp doesn’t need a closely-regulated light cycle to flower like Indicas/Sativas do.
Second of all, although the THC content was low, hemp WAS smoked (or it was marijuana referred to as hemp) as there’s a quote from Thomas Jefferson saying some of his finest moments were of smoking hemp on his porch. Don’t remember the exact wording.
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Reynardine
Dec. 15th, 2012 at 11:06 am
Actually, Zac, there is a difference. Walkaway is speaking from the standpoint of a Native American, and they neither had the herb in preColumbian days, nor used it for smoking (except perhaps medicinally). In the Eastern Hemisphere, where they (again) did not have true tobacco in pre-Columbian days, they smoked hemp.
Latest information seems to indicate that the “species” to which you alluded are either well-differentiated indigens, cultigens gone feral, or a genetic mixture of both; they exchange genes freely.
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nabsentia23
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 1:34 pm
I learned a while ago that “states’ rights” advocates and the GOP only care about “states’ rights” when the federal government does something they don’t like. End of story!
I’ve already encountered conservatives on Yahoo! complaining about CO and WA. And they won’t be happy about Obama’s statement either.
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BodiJohn
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 12:32 pm
Too many young lives already ruined by this country’s inane war on marijuana. I’m not a big fan of intoxicants of any stripe, however, trying to control this type of personal behavior will never work. As mentioned, the same goes for sexual behaviors.
However, I hope that the state and federal government will continue to provide good, quality, engaging information so that people, especially young people and their parents, can make informed decisions about these issues.
Addiction to anything is harmful…it trumps a being’s chances of understanding their true nature and finding true happiness.
May all being be happy and free from suffering.
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A Walkaway
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 12:40 pm
While I hate the crap (even the odor gives both of us a splitting headache, plus we’ve both had real problems in the past with people who used it – nearly lost a job and one of the death threats I received was from pot smokers) and will never use it, that doesn’t mean I don’t think this is good news.
If people want to use the stuff, that’s their decision (just as if I want to smoke my pipe, that’s my decision – and since tobacco has been part of our culture for thousands of years, I will be really offended if they legalize pot and ban tobacco – it’s no worse).
Why waste money and encourage the conservative nutcases (many of whom also smoke the stuff but don’t want people to know), when the money and resources could be put to good use elsewhere?
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Brigita Petrutis
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
So glad we have a brilliant President. He knows how much work needs to be done, to do the work correctly. And he also knows how difficult it has been, with obstructionists and worse, at every step of HIS way. We the people can push that heavy boulder of Congress too, and must do so more proactively. If half our fellow Americans want to be left alone and sleep through everything, then it’s up to the rest of us. He’s right, it’s up to us.
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nabsentia23
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
I’ve just come from NORML’s website and came across an interesting article. It’s indicating that Joe Biden is the main Drug War hawk. And honestly, I’m fully aware of Biden’s history on drug policy. It’s not very good.
I like Joe Biden, but I wholeheartedly and completely disagree with him on this. Public opinion is changing. 18 states now have medical marijuana. And 2 states just legalized it. And there’s little the feds can do to compell these states to confirm with federal law.
Oh well, the only politician I will ever agree with 100% is myself running for office. That’s not happening anytime soon.
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languages4free
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 2:28 pm
There are a lot of laws on the books that are not enforced. So this would just be one more.
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Bill Talley (@Political_Bill)
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 2:32 pm
Having the DOJ ask the FDA to reclassify marijuana from Class i to Class V or VI would be a huge help, something that could be done by the administration, without Congress.
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Dwight A Bailey
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 3:26 pm
The pres looks like he smoked a joint when he took this picture lol
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patrick
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 3:56 pm
Just because it comes from the commander in chief doesn’t mean it’s not just more lip-service from the POTUS like we heard about medical marijuana dispensaries. Biden is a tried and true drug warrior and just because they go after growers and merchants doesn’t mean they’ve left smokers alone. He’s closed 4 times the dispensaries that GW Bush did after saying he would leave it up to the states to decide their medical marijuana laws. So he puts out a sound bite that sounds good but the reality is as a former marijuana smoker he’ll continue to jail and harass people for the same thing he once did.
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Shiva (Moderator)
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Yawn
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James
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 5:16 pm
He says nothing about not going after the dispensaries such as he’s been shutting down for years, costing thousands of jobs and thousands of dollars in tax revenue.
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Charles Scott
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 5:20 pm
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
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Shiva (Moderator)
Dec. 14th, 2012 at 5:26 pm
And that scares me to death. Give powers to Walker or Snyder, both who are owned by the Koch? Im sorry, but the times have changed. If you wanht to keep your union, be very careful what you give to the states. Pls not voting restrictions at the last election performed by states
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