Marijuana Prosecution Not a High Priority, Says Obama

Hugh Pickens writes "VOA reports that President Obama says it does not make sense for federal authorities to seek prosecution of recreational marijuana users in states where such use is legal. 'As it is, you know, the federal government has a lot to do when it comes to criminal prosecutions,' said Obama during a television interview with ABC's Barbara Walters. 'It does not make sense from a prioritization point of view for us to focus on recreational drug users in a state that has already said that, under state law, that's legal.' When asked if he supported legalizing marijuana, the president said he was not endorsing that. 'I wouldn't go that far, but what I think is that, at this point, Washington and Colorado, you've seen the voters speak on this issue.'"

Re:See also: Obama's full "states rights" position

[misexistentialist]

Conceived as a bastard by a polygamist and raised by his grandparents, that is one issue where Obama is probably not a hypocrite

Re:First

[HairyNevus]

That explains why you're second.

Re:This changes nothing. . .

[turkeyfeathers]

Ha! Another sign of excessive pot smoking is adding extra zeros to numbers.

Re:The unanswered question...

[painandgreed]

The unanswered question is whether the federal government will use its resources (DEA etc) to target those producing and selling Marijuana when its being legally produced according to Washington and Colorado law.

Given that the DEA has carried out raids against those dispensing marijuana for medical use in states where such use is legal and given the hardline stance taken by the DEA against marijuana in general, I wouldn't be surprised if they did carry out raids in Washington and Colorado.

Washington has been selling medical marijuana for some time now and selling out of public fronts that advertise in the local newspapers. A friend of mine works in one of those dispensaries, and what he has been saying is that the Federal government has a cut off of 100 plants. Growers for WA have been careful to stay under that limit and seem to be left alone. Likewise, although I'm aware of the details, he is and has said that those that have been busted were basically doing something stupid, either selling to people without a card or pushing the boundries of the law. Not to say that he and his coworkers weren't nervous when that was all going on, but AFAIK, most of the places in WA and the police are trying their hardest to stay within clear law. From the police side of things, they have asked for clear instructions and so far that has been to do nothing other than give verbal warnings to anybody smoking pot in public even through it is still against the law to do so. They don't want to be bothered with bullshit anymore than those smoking the pot.