Obama Hints At Congressional Legalization Of Marijuana

by: : Paul Ebeling
US President Barack Hussein Obama said if enough states reform their Marijuana laws, Congress may change federal law that continues to make the drug illegal.
Mr. Obama said in an interview that he is encouraged that liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans seem to agree that current US Marijuana laws do not make sense.
“We may be able to make some progress on the decriminalization side,” Mr. Obama said. “At a certain point, if enough states end up decriminalizing, then Congress may then reschedule Marijuana.”

Last week, Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rand Paul (R-KY.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced a bill that would reclassify Marijuana from a Schedule I drug, which has high potential for abuse and no medical value, to a Schedule II drug, which has lower potential danger and recognized medical benefits; 19 states and the District of Columbia have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of Marijuana for personal use, 23 states have legalized Marijuana for medical purposes, and 4 states, as well as the District of Columbia, have legalized Recreational Marijuana.

Mr. Obama cautioned that legalization or decriminalization of Marijuana, or any other substance, is not a do all end all solution.
“I think there is a legitimate concern about the overall effects this has on society, particularly vulnerable parts of our society,” Mr. Obama said. “Substance abuse generally, legal and illegal substances, is a problem. Locking somebody up for 20 yrs is probably not the best strategy, and that is something we have to rethink as a society as a whole.”

Marijuana is a popular topic and HeffX-LTN readers often comment on the stories posted.

Mr. Obama said he understands the interest in the drug, but said the issue of Marijuana “should not be young people’s biggest priority, it should be at the bottom of the list.”
Relaxed state Marijuana laws have begun to affect incarceration rates in the US, an average of 1 person is arrested for Marijuana possession each minute in the US according to FBI statistics.