Process of marijuana Legalization in 2009 America
A. Interview of President Obama March 11 2009 (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_...rters-3/11/09/)
Q Mr. President, I wanted to follow up on the border question and the violence in Mexico. President Calderón recently decided to send an additional 5,000 of his troops to the border. The Texas governor has asked for a thousand U.S. troops or Border Agents to reinforce the border on our side. What is the tipping point in you mind, where the violence gets so bad that you need to act?

And related to that, you named a new drug czar today. You've taken that position out of the Cabinet. You in the past have talked about decriminalization of marijuana. Are we still engaged in a war on drugs?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, let me first start on the troop issue. We've got a very big border with Mexico. And so I'm not interested in militarizing the border. I am interested in providing the kind of -- in creating the kind of partnership with the Mexican government that ensures the safety of U.S. citizens, the safety of Mexican citizens, and allows for the continued cross- border trade that's so important to the region.

If we're going to examine whether and if National Guard deployments would make sense and in what circumstances they would make sense as part of this overall review of our border situation -- I haven't drawn any conclusions yet. I don't have a particular tipping point in mind. I think it's unacceptable if you've got drug gangs crossing our borders and killing U.S. citizens. I think if one U.S. citizen is killed because of foreign nationals who are engaging in violent crime, that's enough of a concern to do something about it.

With respect to -- what was the second question?
Q If decriminalization of the marijuana laws --
THE PRESIDENT: I think what gave me pause on that question was I think you -- I'm not sure it's accurate to say that I -- well, the implication was somehow that I think we should weaken our drug laws. That's never been my position. I think that what we do have to -- I think the approach that we do need to take is to make sure that we have a both/and approach as opposed to an either/or approach.

I think traditionally the debate is either interdiction, criminalization, longer drugs -- longer prison sentences for not only dealers, but users; that's one approach. And then the other approach would be sort of a public health, decriminalization approach.

My attitude is we do have to treat this as a public health problem and we have to have significant law enforcement. And, you know, if we can reduce demand, obviously that allows us to focus more effectively where interdiction is needed, where we've got to go after serious drug dealers and narcotrafficking.

Right now I think that we're fighting with one hand tied behind our back because our effort to lower demand is grossly underfunded, not as effective as it needs to be. The average person who is seeking serious substance abuse treatment in a big city, like Dallas or Chicago, typically has a three-, four-, six-month waiting list to get enrolled in a program. I think that's a problem and most law enforcement officials I think would agree that it is a problem.
This question was obviously batted away by the President. It was disregarded completely. Not even the word ‘marijuana’ was mentioned in the answer, which was definitely the main basis of the question. I do believe that since he’s taken office, his views on marijuana have changed. For some unknown fucking reason, our government feels that putting away thousands of people for a harmless “crime” is necessary. For some unknown fucking reason, our government feels that it should go against the majority of “The People,” (the people being the population of America) and keep marijuana illegal. For some unknown fucking reason, our government believes that prescription pills, alcohol, cigarettes, and any other legal items that do kill human beings here in the States should be kept legal, while marijuana that has not killed one person should be kept illegal.
B. Town Hall Conference with President Obama - 3/26/2009 (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_...ons-Town-Hall/)
THE PRESIDENT: Can I just interrupt, Jared, before you ask the next question, j ust to say that we -- we took votes about which questions were going to be asked and I think 3 million people voted or --

DR. BERNSTEIN: Three point five million.

THE PRESIDENT: Three point five million people voted. I have to say that there was one question that was voted on that ranked fairly high and that was whether legalizing marijuana would improve the economy -- (laughter) -- and job creation. And I don't know what this says about the online audience -- (laughter) - - but I just want -- I don't want people to think that -- this was a fairly popular question; we want to make sure that it was answered. The answer is, no, I don't think that is a good strategy -- (laughter) -- to grow our economy. (Applause.)

So -- all right.

DR. BERNSTEIN: Thank you for clearing that up. (Laughter.)
I honestly don’t think that President Obama doesn’t know his facts. Or if he does, he refuses to acknowledge them. What shocks me is the 3.5 million people voted for that question, and it was immediately shot down as a joke. Don’t you think it should’ve been taken at least a little bit more seriously? We all know that it would help out the economy a great deal, and also create a shit-load of jobs.




So that’s my research for the night…ahh, what budless nights do to you!

You should know that with our government marijuana will probably never be legalized. Hell, i wish it was legal, but i doubt it ever will be.

Yes, Obama epic fails on marijuana law reform and im disappointed greatly by that...but look, its not him, he's a politician still, and with alllll the shit going on in our country as well as things going on abroad that involve us, if he did try to legalize marijuana now, he would be fucking condemned for it! Many would criticize and attack him(EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE BEST FOR US RIGHT NOW FOR $$$, HE CANT SAY THAT)...I believe Obama realizes how great legalizing marijuana could be for us, as smart as he is, seriously, he knows that the drug war has failed, and that an absurd amount of money could be made from this harmless substance, this plant....give him time, right now hes got too much shit on his plate, so he has to be fake.

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I Hope your right but it kinda pisses me off that he laughed at the question. We all know that this would greatly help the Us. And even if it doesnt it wont matter because ill be stoned

FRUS, good post !

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WE ARE ALL HERE FOR GODS ENTERTAINMENT

oh god i remember this. pissed me off. its one thing to just disagree, fine, as long as its an informed disagreement. but to laugh and flip the bird to 3 million citizens who want an answer. way to start working for that reelection bid. my greatest fear is 'president palin' in 2012 and this schmuck might make that possible.

People who love and grow and smoke marijuana just dont give a shit enough about it to make the change. The system goes against what weed stands for. Thus they will always have some superficial control it, this is what capitalist pseudo-christians wierdos want, and they control everything. But I will say that there will always be rebels smarter than the eye in the sky, because we think without restriction, freedom and truth dont coorespond with government. Anyone who crusades for the legalization of marijuana would do it for the narcissistic advancement of themselves. Grow your weed, hide it, smoke it with gods brothers and sisters. Turn off the TV turn off the NEWS and say fuck the world. Because when the lights are off and its just you your baby and mary and music NONE OF THAT OTHER BULLSHIT EVEN EXISTS. God put weed here for us, the common men and women, to seperate ourselves from the reality of mans evil oppresive nature. Amen

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I dont smoke weed anymore.... Any more than I used to.

uhhh no. I think people who want marijuana legalized are just rational and realize how the prohibition of it affects many other aspects of society negatively, pollution, over crowded jails, innocent peoples lives being ruined, all over a plant...its the other way around, the people who dont want it legalized are keeping it illegal for their own personal reasons(money).

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You are being WAY to easy on Obama. To suggest that he has broken his campaign promises in regards to marijuana because "he has too much on his plate" or because he would be criticized is to be in some serious denial.

Obama rode a wave of popularity into office that was so strong he could have pushed for ANYTHING and gotten it. The bailouts of the banks and auto workers unions proves it- these bailouts are/were massively unpopular, but Obama chose to spend a good deal of political capital on these endeavors. He could have just as easily chosen marijuana decriminalization.

And don't forget that Obama has actually been more aggressive in pot prosecution than Bush ever was. The Bush administration did not, as a general rule, raid dispensaries in California unless one was opened in a county that did not want it. Obama actually sent in the DEA to raid a club in the heart of San Francisco that has been open for 5 years!

I hate to say it, but Obama is a punk ass sellout bitch. He even signed anti-tobacco legislation last week (just before taking a smoke break.)

So don't defend the skank. It makes you look like a

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"There is a general place in your brain, I think, reserved for 'melancholy of relationships past'. It grows and prospers as life progresses, forcing you finally, against your better judgment, to listen to country music".- Kary Mullis, Nobel Prize Winner for Chemistry

Well its obvious you hate the guy regardless, just like many on this site, some ppl on this site just sit back and wait for Obama to make a move, and then jump on it, im not kissing his ass... and hes already done many things I havent liked including that tobacco thing where the FDA gains more control... I was very happy when he got elected, but now, because he bitched out on the marijuana issue, I could care less about him...but you are insane if you think he is more agressive on marijuana prohibition than bushes administration, like seriously, have you heard some of the shit that John Walters(bushes ex drug czar) has said??reefer madness type shit...bush had any club raided, he didnt give a fuck...thats all the DEA did while he was prez...and yes Obama is dismissing this issue because of criticism he would recieve. And on top of all that, it goes deeper, pharmeceuticals, logging companies, drug testing companies...these people have lobbyists working hard and dropping a lot of $$$ to keep it illegal....You act like he can just snap his fingers and cannabis is legal

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