Obama Stumped by Question on Marijuana Legalization

It's become pretty clear that the president is going to be asked about marijuana legalization absolutely any time he takes questions from the public, so it kind of amazes me that he is actually getting worse at talking about it. This latest exchange is just embarrassing:

President Barack Obama sidestepped a question about medical marijuana legalization at a town hall event in Cannon Falls, Minnesota Monday.

"If you can't legalize marijuana, why can't you just legalize medical marijuana?" a woman asked the president.

"A lot of states are making decisions about medical marijuana," Obama explained. "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." [Raw Story]

That is the best he can do to address one of the hottest topics in modern American politics. He'll just "leave it at that," because an increasingly frustrated public might react negatively to a slightly lengthier attempt at explaining why anyone, least of all sick people, should ever have to worry about being arrested and thrown in jail for having some marijuana in their pocket.

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. Reread, if you must, the statement above from Obama and ask yourself if that is an adequate answer to a question that continues to burn in the minds of so many among us.

Let me be the first to say that I am really very sorry that President Obama and various other people who don't want to discuss marijuana policy are being routinely forced against their will to do so. I can imagine what an annoying distraction this is when we have so many other issues to work on. 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.

I know I don't get to make the rules here, but it would be wonderful and very appropriate if we could just stop all of this, stop putting anyone at all in handcuffs for having marijuana, until someone like President Obama can at least summon the integrity to tell us in intelligent terms why things have to be this way. A leader speaks to the people and helps us understand the challenges we face. Obama's approach to marijuana policy and the debate surrounding it is not leadership, it's cowardice, and it's senseless from every standpoint, moral, practical and political.

 

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Comments

[fieryat41]

03:44 PM on 10/13/2011

He is protecting the people who are contributing big to his campaign. It's not about what is right, and when it comes to politics, it never will be about what is right. Ron Paul 2012

[David Hundley]

10:21 AM on 10/12/2011

This all Stems from the Drug Lobbiest, THEY CONTROL THE PUPPET THAT IS OBAMA, Americans finally get it. YOU CAN'T DEFY THE WILL of the PEOPLE.. ONE HERB THAT GROWS FAST AND HAS A MILLION USES. From Grandms's TEA to the Poultices FOR INFLAMATION....From Shoes and socks....TO FISHING NETS AND HATS.... HEMPSTERS HAVE TO COME OUT of the CLOSET NOW !!!

[hoops44]

02:19 AM on 10/12/2011

This is all about big pharma! Search for GW Pharmaceut­icals and Sativex and learn they completed phase II trials in the UK and begun discussion­s with FDA to begin phase III trials in the US.

http://www­.americani­ndependent­.com/17945­7/is-big-p­harma-set-­to-corner-­the-americ­an-market-­on-medical­-marijuana

[PrunellaC]

08:54 PM on 10/11/2011

As a controlled substance,>>

Okay, stop controlling it. See how easy it is?

[ken locke]

11:20 PM on 09/21/2011

Ron Paul 2012

[ken locke]

11:19 PM on 09/21/2011

After 70 plus yrs of mis informing to american public, though means of lies/propaganda(Reefer Madness), Cannabis/marijuana has been attacked. Now, after 70 yrs , we the people have educated ourselfs and know the truth concerning cannabis.
Journey for justice Seven 06, Tour for Compassion 09

[Snohomish Grow]

01:43 AM on 09/14/2011

there are buckets and wheel barrows full of money to be had from this product What to do with them is a question..I am a med person in my state .. so what ..what about the guy that cannot afford a permit??are they left out??No domestic violence..No real criminal acts of domestic violence committed from people of good conscience with use of marijuana..if you input the words U.S. congress for the word He..in the declaration of independence..congress is acting..and immolating king George...I remain~

[muzzylu]

06:50 AM on 08/28/2011

Obama won't do anything, but golf. Medical marijuana is very helpful, not dangerous. Try this---http://bit.ly/oYO1N6

[knbyt]

02:53 PM on 08/22/2011

there's no point in fighting there's no way this government will ever legalize, it's too much of a threat to big corporations. I'm happy that I have weed to go home to every night regardless of the law.

[weightedsidesbreakmiddle]

10:55 AM on 08/21/2011

I'm a little disappointed by the President's approach on marijuana legalization, personal or medical. I realize that when trying to get elected, you want to appeal to something or someone, and then possibly, when elected, you realize you can't do some of the things you said you were going to, because mainly, it's politics and every side wants their hand in something without any unification in the end, and if they can't, they make it hell for us. But when nearly half (in some polls) and over half (in other polls) of Americans want something changed and want someone to hear them (not just a few politicians, but EVERYONE), why not take charge of the issue? Americans want Marijuana legalized.

If the President wanted causes and problems to "ripple his administration" in order for him to see them as a real-deal or to get its attention, why hasn't he backed marijuana CHANGE up, like before? We are more than just rippling a change for Marijuana legalization, we are the slight swell before a tsunami. So, what is the problem, Mr. President? This is our cause. Can you step up to the plate and hit us a home run? You're 0-3 (maybe even 0-6, (and if that's the case, maybe we need change in your office, Mr. President)), from where I'm standing (when it comes to marijuana). Now get up there, and give it all you got!

[DougDeWitt]

03:46 PM on 08/19/2011

wouldn't it be ironic if the multi-millions of voting-age current consumers of cannabis elected a dark-horse also-ran who comes out of left field, running on nothing but a "federal legalization of marijuana" platform...

[undrgrndgirl]

07:52 PM on 08/19/2011

wouldn't it be AWESOME?!
(though dennis kucinich (d-ohio), ron paul (r - tx) and bernie sanders (i - vt) all want to end the drug war)

[JohnThomas]

02:56 AM on 08/20/2011

Have you looked at Gary Johnson's platform?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBOXUjHhrVM

http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/

[libertony]

02:49 PM on 09/22/2011

They are finally going to let Gary in a debate tonight on Fox.Every body needs to check it out.9:00 ET
Johnson 2012

[f0rTyLeGz]

03:02 PM on 08/18/2011

I wont be voting for Obama again. He is WEAK.

[schimpfian1]

06:44 PM on 10/11/2011

He has lost my vote as well. This is the straw that broke the camel's back. It is bad enough that he has been worse than Bush on several issues, e.g., whistleblowers, unmanned drones, but this is too much.

[toolfan73]

01:25 PM on 08/18/2011

His scared it will hurt his chances for next term period.

[Christian Vative]

01:17 PM on 08/18/2011

Jesus said to do unto others as we would have them to do unto us. None of us would want our child thrown in jail with the sexual predators over marijuana. None of us would want to see an older family member’s home confiscated and sold by the police for growing a couple of marijuana plants for their aches and pains. It’s time to stop putting our own family members in jail over marijuana.
If ordinary Americans could grow a little marijuana in their own back yards, it would be about as valuable as home-grown tomatoes. Let's get the criminals out of our neighborhoods. Let's let ordinary Americans grow a little marijuana in their own back yards.
Here's one way that IT IS REALLY WORKING: Arresting the criminals and collecting a fee from registered growers (and bringing in thousands of dollars to support the county budget); what a great plan! This is the way to build a better America! http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/2011/07/the-pot-republic-one-sheriffs-quietly-radical-experiment.html
The current proposal before Congress, bill HR 2306, will allow states to decide how they will regulate marijuana. You can email your Congressperson and Senators at http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml to discuss HR 2306.
And a big THANK YOU to the courageous, freedom loving legislators, governors, and countless others who are working so hard to bring this through! You’re doing a great patriotic service for all of America!

[Needling]

09:13 PM on 08/17/2011

Not all Conservatives are hoodwinked by blatant propaganda regarding cannabis. Some have done their research and have been way out in front on this issue:

"The anti-marijuana campaign is a cancerous tissue of lies, undermining law enforcement, aggravating the drug problem, DEPRIVING THE SICK OF NEEDED HELP [caps added], and suckering well-intentioned conservatives and countless frightened parents... Narcotics police are an enormous, corrupt international bureaucracy ... and now fund a coterie of researchers who provide them with 'scientific support' ... fanatics who distort the legitimate research of others."

--William F. Buckley, Commentary in The National Review, April 29, 1983, p. 495

1983! And Buckley was tearing it up with the truth. Ron Paul and Gary Johnson also tell the truth when it comes to cannabis. And there's a lot of support for medical access from many Democrats, of course, but not from the most important one.

This last quote is perfect for President Obama:

"Cannabis has become a political football, and one that governments continually duck. Like footballs, however, it bounces back. Sooner or later politicians will have to stop running scared and address the evidence: cannabis per se is not a hazard to society but driving it further underground may well be."

THE LANCET, Volume 346, Number 8985, November 11 1995 "Deglamorising cannabis"

[JohnThomas]

09:57 PM on 08/17/2011

Buckley, did indeed, have much integrity. I believe he also had friends that were medical marijuana patients. Notably, Buckley had no one to answer to, so he could publicly stand for what he believed.

Obama was an enthusiastic marijuana consumer, and stated as late as 2004 that marijuana should be decriminalized. But now he is following orders.

It's time for a TRUE People's party.

[Azheera]

01:36 AM on 08/19/2011

You are looking "for a TRUE People's party"? There already is one; one in which all Americans who support the Founders' vision for our country should be members -- the Libertarian Party. Look into their principles and goals and you will find what I'm saying to be true. But they will gain no influence if people keep treating libertarians the way the media treats Ron Paul. You want a free country (which this one no longer is)? Then you must support the LP from now on, and Ron Paul for our next president. No other party will advocate for freedom and no other candidate will end the prohibition.