Marijuana and Cannabis News
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Apparently the Administration doesn't feel that it's worth their time to do that, though. Obama seems to actually be getting worse at talking about cannabis, as pointed out by Scott Morgan of StoptheDrugWar.com.
"This latest exchange is just embarrassing," Morgan writes of the President's latest sidestepping of a cannabis question.
The President was asked about legalizing medical marijuana at a town hall event in Cannon Falls, Minnesota on Monday, reports David Edwards at The Raw Story.
"If you can't legalize marijuana, why can't you just legalize medical marijuana?" a woman reasonably asked the President.
"A lot of states are making decisions about medical marijuana," Obama's answer began. "As a controlled substance, the issue is then that is it being prescribed by a doctor as opposed to... you know, well, I'll leave it at that."
That non-explanation was apparently the best the President could offer on the subject.
Could the Commander in Chief have realized the hopelessness of any attempted explanation of stopping seriously ill patients from have safe and legal access to the medicine recommended by their doctors -- the only medicine which helps -- but which isn't available from Big Pharma?
I wouldn't want to try to explain that, either. Especially if Big Pharma were among my biggest campaign contributors.
"To find oneself speechless in the midst of an intensifying debate is to reveal rather transparently the utter incoherence of one's position, and this could be the most complete collapse yet in the ugly history of political leaders trying and failing to defend our nation's massively unpopular war on medical marijuana," Morgan wrote.
"There just seems to be some sort of misunderstanding happening here, wherein we came under the impression that if marijuana wasn't important enough to warrant even 30 seconds of meaningful discussion from the president, then it's also probably not important enough to justify arresting millions of us for possessing it," Morgan wrote.
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54 comments
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too bad obama doesn't say "DEA IS SHUT DOWN, INB4 RON PAUL, BITCHES">>obama re-elected, ron paul gets 0 votes>>dea converted into anti-human trafficking task force. using their airplanes to look for heat signatures of basement slaves instead of weed growing lights>>obama elected to third term
I'm a conservitive that thinks marijuana should be legal. It's only a plant for Christ sakes. What kind of country locks up its citizens for owning a plant. Show the world what freedom realy is.
"I.... I.... I..... We'll just leave it at that."That's what I hear when I catch my little baby brother in a lie. How amusing to be lied to.
Just like here in CT (where we just got decrim this summer, and ONLY because our governor's son was busted for weed) politicians don't give a shit about anything that doesn't personally affect them.
hey can I get some one to link me the time where the woman ask the question that stupms the prez? Thank u
*****Warning— Long Post…… I tried to make a point, but it expanded… sorry*****I remember not too long ago, Attorney General Holder said something that gay community has suffered long enough with discrimination, or maybe it was service members suffering under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. And that it was time to end DADT. The thing is how many people have been locked up, or lost their job, and families because of being gay? The numbers are miniscule compared to marijuana users who have suffered greatly. I thought that was disrespectful to those people who have been arrested, convicted, loss of their job, family, and freedom, being locked up, and for those people who have been killed, or those who’ve died as a result of being denied a plant that helps people. I’m in support of people who want to do, or be something as long as it doesn’t hurt, or infringe on anyone else’s rights. Whether it’s smoking marijuana for medical reasons, or for pleasure. And people who are gay, lesbian, or transgender. I don’t care, it’s called FREEDOM!!!! Why is the government allowed to tell people what they can put in their own body?? Someone can go out and eat a box of Twinkies, an extra large value meal from any burger place, wash it down with a 2 liter bottle of coke, and that’s okay?? The thing is that we waste billions of dollars on a failed drug policy. We also waste billions on foreign aid that goes to non deserving countries. Out of a 192 countries in the world, we provide some kind of foreign aid to 158 of them, including China??? I still have not been able to find any accounting of ALL foreign aid. Why is the amount so secret? We can’t afford, and shouldn’t restrict people’s rights and freedoms, because some people don’t agree with a behavior or an act that is harmless. Lets help fix our budget- Reduce or cut foreign aid, legalize marijuana. And no I’m not a pothead; I just believe people should have the choice to do something that they chose to do. And yes, one of the largest expenses the government has relating to law enforcement is marijuana related issues. Doesn’t that make sense to remove the penalties related to marijuana issues, so that it reduces these agencies budgets, and refocuses these agencies to go after meth, or other hard drugs? Look at alcohol prohibition, the states had a choice to outlaw alcohol, and then realized that it wasn’t working, so it was reversed. Only after the states had agreed to repeal prohibition amendment in the Constitution. The point is… We the people have the choice to make something illegal, and then make it legal if we decide. We have never as an entire country been asked to decriminalize, or legalize marijuana, so why is it ILEGAL? < I call BS on this. I’ve read that it would only cut 44 billion dollars from the budget, but I don’t believe that number. I think the amount would be much higher. Enforcement/prevention costs, court costs, incarceration costs reduction. I’m not going to list all the budget information about the 3 things above, because the numbers don’t really seem accurate. But the budgets for the agencies that deal with drug issue have very large budgets. There is a reason why we have the Constitution, which is supposed to protect our rights. And really there is no rights given to the Government to create all these different agencies that say we can’t do something. Congress is supposed to have enumerated powers (limited) powers, but they expanded other laws under the Necessary and Proper, Commerce Clause Acts that allow them to create other laws. The thing is the Constitution says that those acts are to be used to further the enumerated rights given to Congress. Nothing else! And all other rights not given or prohibited in the Constitution are reserved to the States, or respectively to the PEOPLE.
I'm not sure if your "whys?" are rhetorical or not, but just to cover the bases.
Marijuana prohibition was a monstrous fraud from its beginning in 1937 when perpetrated by alcohol prohibition bureaucrat Harry Anslinger who was building himself a new empire. Professor Charles Whitebread did excellent research on this conning of America, and gave a detailed speech on it to the California Judges Association. The most relevant part starts about a third of the way down with "The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937"
http://www.druglibrary.org/SCH...
Every major government commission on marijuana concluded it is not addictive, FAR less harmful than alcohol, and recommended regulating it like alcohol. The reports of these major commissions can be read here:
http://www.druglibrary.org/SCH...
So, with a growing majority of Americans now wanting to end it, why do we still have this barbaric persecution of millions of good Americans?
Because police, prosecutors and politicians build their careers and empires on it. Because industries like alcohol and pharmaceuticals don't want the competition. Because other interests like the drug treatment/testing industry and the prison industries depend on it for their life's blood. Because many shaky corporations couldn't exist without the laundered money. And because government uses marijuana prohibition as a means of controlling minorities and the poor. It's also probable the huge underground black-market funds government black-ops, as well as provide a very useful clandestine conduit for myriad dark operations.
Finally, of course, the TRILLIONS of dollars made by the drug gangs have not been buried in the ground. They have been invested in legitimate business, causing another huge support of this persecution of millions of innocent people.
[See Catherine Austin Fitts "Narco Dollars For Beginners." - keeping in mind that while Fitts employs cocaine because it best suits her metaphor, FBI statistics show marijuana sales comprise 80 percent of all "illegal" drug transactions. http://www.ratical.org/co-glob... ]
It's time to declare war on the marijuana-prohibition-industrial-complex!
Yeah... I started with some information about an issue and it evolved into something else. Thanks for extra information. I felt like I was writing a book instead of a reply to a post. This should be about freedom and choice, and not about being illegal, and loss of rights.
Right. This American Inquisition will be a source for thousands of books. The tragic stories are near infinite. Check out GRASS:
I agree with the LA Times conclusion. He's is most likely pro-medical cannabis, but if he so much as hints so, conservatives will claim he is now a marijuana smoking islamic drug dealing terrrorist.
If Obama's elected again, further re-election concerns will be gone and he will be freed to do what's right - including for medical cannabis. Other than Ron Paul, I believe Obama will be the smartest available choice. It's a practical matter. By example, don't forget Ralph Nader's presence on the ballot got George Dubya elected over Al Gore.
Seriously!? Obummer is the biggest loser and false prophet. Never elect anyone from Chicago
Anybody who votes for either the republican or democratic parties in 2012 is voting to keep cannabis illegal.
I would like to believe Ron Paul would legalize marijuana. Maybe he should make that a priority, it could be an instint fix for the economy. I wish Wayne Allyn Root would run as a republican.
Anyone know how Jerry Brown stands on the subject. Maybe he should run against you know, well I'll leave it at that.
Big pharma... what about the financial resources of the cartels that certainly have the cash and political lobby to influence certain politicians
hmmmm maybe consider using hemp as a renewable alternative energy source and hemp bio-fuel.....
Sarah Palin, and other republicans said that they would legalize so if he`s worried about what the opposition was thinking if they are doing the same thing what`s the problem?
Please provide a source for your claim regarding Sarah Palin. Here's what I found on this subject:
Palin doesn't support legalizing marijuana, worrying about the message it would send to her four kids. But when it comes to cracking down on drugs, she says methamphetamines are the greater threat and should have a higher priority. Anchorage Daily News, "Little play," by K. Hopkins Aug 6, 2006 http://glassbooth.org/explore/...
If he doesn`t want to seem liberal to the republicans why is he hosting gay prides more than 1 in the white house itself? and he will not let people have the right to a righteous medicine?
what makes u all bash obama for stumbling about marijuana but makes u think the other idiot candidates support it.. they dont. No president will support it right now.. I think this should be state regulated and by doctors who would have that control to say who will need it or not
I think he realized in mid-statement that he was not prepared and was treading water and he shut up. I imagine he actually left the press conference angry about his mess up. I bet you he'll be better informed, even if it is with false facts, the next time the question arises.
He can't be any more "informed" on the topic. After all it's pretty easy to tow the line: "My administration is not in favor of lgealization on any level." *snicker-snicker* "Next question..." See, I could be president!
SAMHSA research shows more than 106 million Americans have consumed marijuana. That's about HALF the of-age population. There are an estimated 30 to 50 million current consumers. Further, it's reasonable to expect some of their family and friends would vote to protect them. If the margin is close, this block could, indeed, decide the election.
Obama would lose few votes except for Republicans that weren't going to vote for him anyway, especially if he made a compelling explanation to the American people. After all, marijuana prohibition IS a destructive, counter-productive fraud. So, politically, it would be a wise move to ride the wave of reform at this point.
However, I believe Obama is actually obeying the power structure which is dominated by the marijuana-prohibition-industrial-complex. The corruption is wider and deeper than most imagine.
Why hasn't this question been asked of the Republican canidates? This is something that I would like for all those who are running for the position to be asked.
Because they are not the president yet. Why only Obama, why only pick on him, why, why, why, other people maybe can't answer a simple question. My "anointed one" is not the only idiot on the block. You keep picking on him I'm going to cry and call you names. How come you didn't ask Bush or President Lincoln and George Washington? It's Kool Aid time. What a sorrowful piece of sh-t. Do you eat the butterflies and wash them down with the Kool Aid?
Ron Paul, the libertarian hiding as a Republican, believes that most issues, should be reserved to the states, that are not expressed in the Constitution. He will never make it, but he is the one candidate, that would do his best to kick it back to the States.
Since legalization received more votes than Meg Whitman in 2010,perhaps we could get President Obama's attention by running a marijuana advocate against him in the California primary. He can't win re-election without us !!!
"Our read?" wrote the LA Weekly's Dennis Romero. "He's pro-medical marijuana, but he can't be seen as such as Republicans fight for their presidential nomination and battle over who can make Obama seem more liberal."Really? Is that why he's done NOTHING to stem the DEA's attacks on medical mj organizations which are following state laws? After all he did imply during his presidential campaign that he would not send the feds in after those who followed state laws on the matter. The man is a typical lying politician. He said things that people wanted to hear, they fell for it, elected him, then he continued the policies of control first implemented by Anslinger. He's no less evil than Nixon for wanting to control us and remove our rights through drug legislation. I wish people like Dennis Romero would quit giving Obama the benefit of the doubt. There is nothing good about Obama. Anyone who still believes that we have allies in the Democrat party (or the Republican party) need to re-evaluate their thinking. The ONLY way we can end this ridiculous war on drugs, indeed this war on our personal freedoms is to get a truly libertarian mindset about government and its role in our lives. We must retain maximum personal freedom and accept complete personal responsibility for our actions. Only then can we be free. And neither the political right nor the political left want us to have these freedoms. Obama is neither a liberty loving leader, nor does he strike many, including myself as being particularly smart. That explains why he stumbles and bumbles on questions like this. Please quit giving him a pass on these gaffes and let's label him for what he is: a left-wing pol who wants to control every aspect of our lives!!!
And for that matter, the media blacklists anyone who takes those kind of viewpoints. Ron Paul is being treated like hes a 3rd party joke, even if he was a little less than 100 votes from winning the ames strawpoll. Our corporate overlords fear anything that takes away their gov/industry complexes, and the interconnectedness of that effort keeps the media from paying attention to anyone who threatens the corporacracy.
The establishment is so afraid of Ron Paul. Media won't even mention him. If that doesn't give you a clue that he'll bring about 'change' than i don't know what will.Get Ron Paul elected! This country will immediately begin moving in the right direction.All the big news networks are told not to pay any attention to Ron Paul as to try to make him unelectable.
I know where my vote is going.......RON PAUL 2012
I got one for you Mr.President, Tax it, REGULATE IT & LEGALIZE IT! Stop all the bullshit lies about marijuana. All the past propaganda that the government used just doesn't fit the truth about marijuana. Use hemp for products, fuel, cloths, rope, paper. How many jobs would that produce for this Country!
why does the taxpayer be forced to give any money to a WINE FESTIVALwhen hemp fest does it all by themselves in an all volunteer effortthat costs them thousand's?
legalize cannabis and begin to make money off it do not listen to theidiots who want to trow a fit everyone loves cannabis hemp would makea great agricutural product to save us all
legalize cannabis and begin to make money off it do not listen to theidiots who want to trow a fit everyone loves cannabis hemp would makea great agricutural product to save us all
"As a controlled substance, the issue is then that is it being prescribed by a doctor as opposed to... you know, well, I'll leave it at that."
He was referring to a medical cannabis "recommendation" vs. a "prescription" prescribed by a doctor.in which is despensed by a pharmacy.. .
We all know by experiance that cannabis can't be prescribed..nor obtained via a pharmacy..
Semantical gymnastics is this mans specialty.. how else did he get in the white house ?
Change means from your hand to mine.. that's how. !!
i was taking that as being prescribed by a drug dealer as they're called in the pessimistic world
