I posted this on my blog thing and thought I would share it here as well.

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Initially I was upset with the way that president Obama addressed a question (regarding the legalization of marijuana) at last thursdays experimental online town hall meeting.

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YTrrqEdrI8

After acknowledging that legalizing marijuana was one of the top questions submitted, he proceeded to give an unsatisfactorily short answer in which he seemed to pass off the question as a joke and not something to be taken seriously stating "there was one question that was voted on that ranked fairly high, and that was whether legalizing marijuana would improve the economy and job creation and I don't know what this says about the online audience." and "No, I don't think that is a good strategy to grow our economy."

I felt sick and enraged as the crowd immediately laughed. 3.5 million people voted and this was one of the top questions. How can you ignore those kind of numbers? marijuana prohibition is an issue that needs to be taken seriously and to bash a question because it came from the internet (the place where Obama received most of his campaign funds), making it seem like just a bunch of pot heads sitting around at home on the computer was wrong. Medical marijuana is a very viable alternative medicine and very many patients depend on it.

I have since looked more in depth at the online town hall meeting and its purpose was mainly to address the current economic situation so while still disappointing, Obama's answer does not specifically rule out his support for a change in drug policy. If he didn't want to address the issue as a strategy for fixing the economy than that's understandable; however, many people (myself included) do feel that legalizing hemp and all forms of cannabis would be an outstanding way to solve the economic problems, at very least it must be better than printing an endless supply of money created out of thin air. Right now I can't get carried away about what a great revenue generating product marijuana is / could be; besides that fact that millions of taxpayers money would be saved when law enforcement does not have to go after and incarcerate the cannabis culture; that must be saved for another article as this one is strictly about Obama's stance.

So it wasn't the right time to discuss legalization, fine; but more politicians need to realize that this is an issue that isn't going away and needs to be taken care of in timely fashion. I hope most of us know by now that there are several states with medical MJ bills in place (most notably California) that clash with federal law and it can't stay this way forever. Too many gray areas currently exist between federal vs. state decriminalization and medical legalization. There needs to be a clarification on paper but nobody wants to be the one responsible so we, the people, even as the majority, are ignored.

If the economy isn't a reason to legalize than there are plenty more to choose from. There are still too many people incarcerated for victimless crimes, crimes that some didn't even commit; and I'm not talking about your typical street dealers either, there are patients, growers, shop owners, all people who thought they were following the laws of their locality.

After being appointed (by president Obama), Attorney General Eric Holder said that there would be no more raids by the fed on people operating under the regulations of approved states. Pre-election, Obama said that he supported marijuana for medical use and the states rights to make their own law regarding it. Lets hope he hasn't changed his mind or lost his balls.

Your crying over it sure aint going to change it ...

IMO It'll NEVER be legal at a federal level

Its just not gonna happen..

these people who run this country are old folks who are set in their ways ,In about 50 yrs it may be legal but no time soon

What was he expected to say? 'Yes, yes i believe it would'

NEVER the response you were gonna get

Excuse me? How does that entail crying? I tried to spread some news and information about a subject that I thought people here would be sympathetic to. I understand that its going to take alot for things to change in this country but does that mean we shouldn't try?

Your fighting a battle that cant be won..

Kinda just like the war we are fighting in the middle east..

Do you think that there will be an end one day to suicide bombers ?

come on what did you expect him to say
he is a politician and he needs to secure his image.
Plus how exactly would legalizing weed help the economy it just doesnt make sense.
There are so many different ways it would help, I agree with korvette when he said it would be legal in due time..
But thats just the states here in canada I see it happening sooner but not that soon.
Even though it would have already happened if the states werent so threated by the idea.

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"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me." - Hunter S. Thompson

It would help the economy in the way that poor business's turned large scale farms would be growing seeds for next to nothing under the sun and selling the herb to various legal outlets for an elevated price. Or, in the case of personal growing in peoples homes, there would be taxes laid down on seeds, lighting etc. Ofcourse, the world hates paying taxes, but i'd rather pay tax to be able to grow weed worry free and be a 'good citizen' at the same time. Wouldn't make a massive, massive difference to the economy, but any extra money at all is nice at the moment. ........Or maybe not haha. Laters

There would not be any extra money .. ANYONE CAN GROW WEED .. They would not be able to ""CONTROL"" it .. Thats why its not legal..

how is the struggle to end prohibition of marijuana anything at all like the war in the middle east??? if anything it should be compared to the utter disaster that was alcohol prohibition. once the propaganda and pseudo science behind marijuana myths are cleared up and the conservatives leave office or are replaced by logical thinkers i think we will see real head way. and as far as it never being legal federally. closed mind thinking like that is whats stopping it from doing so now. why dont people just grow tobacco? because its easier to suck it up and pay for them, WHICH ARE HEAVILY TAXED

for a "marijuana expert" you sure are quick to shoot down an intelligent and interesting thread.