Doobie puffing Obama fighting pot legalization

[okie52]

Obama Continues Plans to Oppose Legalization of Marijuana

Wednesday, 09 Jul 2014 02:22 PM

Closely mirroring its past positions, the Obama administration's 2014 drug policy will focus tightly on curbing heroin use and prescription painkillers abuse while continuing to oppose the legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational use.

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Dru...#ixzz370Fqhfp8

Botticelli said the White House's opposition to medicinal and recreational marijuana remains unchanged.

"Because quite honestly it sends the wrong message to our youth," he said.

Just what "wrong" message is that Obama?...that alcohol is cool but pot will screw you up?

[8timechamps]

I am not a pot user (it's been a loooooong time since I did), but I really don't understand why anyone would be against the legalization of marijuana.

I also live in Colorado, where it's now a legalized product, and so far, I've noticed absolutely no difference in anything. No random stoners walking around or the like. I know that the legalization has raised much needed tax dollars, and I think I recently saw something on the news about the crime rate being lower (i'll have to research that though).

[okie52]

I don't get it either. If you are going to have alcohol and tobacco legal I sure don't see why pot isn't as worthy...not to mention the tax revenues that would be generated and clearing out a ton of prisoner expenses...

[badger]

"Because quite honestly it sends the wrong message to our youth," he said.

I hate to be debbie downer, but I have no problem with marijuana and other addictive substances being restricted, and have no problem with addictive substances that produce second-hand effects made illegal, especially in public areas.

If we're going to have national subsidized healthcare (and it's a tax, SCOTUS says, so we do), we have to make efforts to make people choose healthier lifestyles. That means curbs addictive substances, not just heroin and prescription painkillers, but also things like caffeinated soda (I am personally guilty of drinking en masse), nicotine via smokeless tobacco products, smokeless marijuana products.

In the case of things that have second-hand effects --- smoking tobacco and marijuana --- I don't mind these staying illegal in public places, and if the easiest way to do that is make them illegal, tax the hell out of them or raise the age restrictions for use to 26 (the age your parents health insurance stops under Obamacare, heh), so be it.

Sorry in advance I know I'm no fun

[olevetonahill]

Badj Pot aint addictive, Least ways it never was for me. The argument IMHO is If Booze is legal why not Pot? Pot is far less harmful than drinking, If its harmful at all.

This crap about it being a Gateway drug is just that CRAP. Take it out of the drug mix entirely. quit comparing it to Hard Drugs. Kids that hear constantly about the "Evils" of Pot and then try it only to find it its harmless(well cept for making ya hungry) May go on to try others because they have been lied to .

Did yall hear? Obammy got offered a Joint when he was in Colorado LOL

[REDREX]

I am not a pot user (it's been a loooooong time since I did), but I really don't understand why anyone would be against the legalization of marijuana.

I also live in Colorado, where it's now a legalized product, and so far, I've noticed absolutely no difference in anything. No random stoners walking around or the like. I know that the legalization has raised much needed tax dollars, and I think I recently saw something on the news about the crime rate being lower (i'll have to research that though).

---I read that Colorado has had double the driving -while-stoned arrests since they made it legal----------I still don't see how a state can make it legal when it is against Fed law

[REDREX]

Badj Pot aint addictive, Least ways it never was for me. The argument IMHO is If Booze is legal why not Pot? Pot is far less harmful than drinking, If its harmful at all.

This crap about it being a Gateway drug is just that CRAP. Take it out of the drug mix entirely. quit comparing it to Hard Drugs. Kids that hear constantly about the "Evils" of Pot and then try it only to find it its harmless(well cept for making ya hungry) May go on to try others because they have been lied to .

Did yall hear? Obammy got offered a Joint when he was in Colorado LOL

----He was holding out for a few lines

[BoulderSooner79]

Marijuana is restricted the same way as alcohol in Colorado and I'm sure that will be true in any other state that makes it legal. And smoking it in public completely out as I understand it. I don't think the Fed has any grounds for making it more restricted than what the states choose to do. I don't know why the official line from the POTUS reads the way it does - most likely for political reasons. But in practice, the feds have taken a hands off stance to the experiments going on in CO and WA.

[REDREX]

Marijuana is restricted the same way as alcohol in Colorado and I'm sure that will be true in any other state that makes it legal. And smoking it in public completely out as I understand it. I don't think the Fed has any grounds for making it more restricted than what the states choose to do. I don't know why the official line from the POTUS reads the way it does - most likely for political reasons. But in practice, the feds have taken a hands off stance to the experiments going on in CO and WA.

---States can't or should not be able to disregard Fed law

[badger]

Badj Pot aint addictive, Least ways it never was for me

Some studies suggest that marijuana is addictive. I am sure that it effects different people in different ways, but in general, I tend to accept what scientists who study that stuff say.

I read that Colorado has had double the driving -while-stoned arrests since they made it legal

It would be naive to think that usage and abuse would not rise with state legalization. Some people, in fact likely many people, try to stay within laws to avoid getting into legal trouble. If there's no law holding people back, of course they'll be more open to try.

I don't think the Fed has any grounds for making it more restricted than what the states choose to do

Federal law always supersedes state law, if I'm not mistaken. It's why federal courts are overturning gay marriage state laws left and right, and why a federal judge said that Detroit pensions weren't safe in bankruptcy, despite Michigan state law.

[BoulderSooner79]

---States can't or should not be able to disregard Fed law

Lots of gray area there and plenty of states rights cases have gone the states way. This was just a fed policy to make pot a class 1 drug and every expert in the country has said that was a mistake. Including the experts at the time of that declaration. Now, if the fed wants to come in and challenge the issue through the court system, I have no problem with that. If they come in with troops and swat teams and confiscate product and shut down businesses, I have big problems with that.

[BoulderSooner79]

Some studies suggest that marijuana is addictive. I am sure that it effects different people in different ways, but in general, I tend to accept what scientists who study that stuff say.


It would be naive to think that usage and abuse would not rise with state legalization. Some people, in fact likely many people, try to stay within laws to avoid getting into legal trouble. If there's no law holding people back, of course they'll be more open to try.


Federal law always supersedes state law, if I'm not mistaken. It's why federal courts are overturning gay marriage state laws left and right, and why a federal judge said that Detroit pensions weren't safe in bankruptcy, despite Michigan state law.

Colorado is checking for pot DUIs now that it is legal, so of course they will get more arrests. But I have no doubt there will be more users driving too - and the voters had to know that ahead of time.

The gay marriage thing is a constitutional issue under the equal protection clause. Legalizing pot is not a constitutional issue, it's just counter to an arbitrary fed policy. The fed could do away with this conflict with a stroke of the pen by reclassifying pot, They could not do that for gay marriage.

[okie52]

----He was holding out for a few lines

BWahhaahhhahhahha!!!!

[okie52]

---States can't or should not be able to disregard Fed law

(see sanctuary cities)

[okie52]

Colorado is checking for pot DUIs now that it is legal, so of course they will get more arrests. But I have no doubt there will be more users driving too - and the voters had to know that ahead of time.

The gay marriage thing is a constitutional issue under the equal protection clause. Legalizing pot is not a constitutional issue, it's just counter to an arbitrary fed policy. The fed could do away with this conflict with a stroke of the pen by reclassifying pot, They could not do that for gay marriage.

The SC has put the gay marriage back in the states hands. There is no federal mandate on gay marriage but Obama was crawfishing on that issue well before the 2012 election after he clearly stated in 2008 that marriage was between a "man and a woman". He "evolved"... but as an admitted former pot smoker he doesn't want to send the kids the wrong "image" by supporting legalizing pot while he'll chug down a beer at a bar or have a "beer summit" at the White House.

I guess I'm just not picking up on what message Trayvon's wannabe father is trying to convey.

[BoulderSooner79]

All the recent district court rulings that are over turning state laws against gay marriage are based on the equal protection clause. And the judges are referencing the SCOTUS ruling on the DOMA as precedent. I don't see how that gives the decision back to the states, but I'm no legal expect.

But I'll still claim that is irrelevant to legalized pot, which is not a constitutional issue. I do think it's weird that the administration says they oppose it, yet are not trying to get clarification in the courts. I can only conclude politics is involved. If they came down hard on CO (a swing state), there would be a huge backlash from state's rights advocates and rightfully so.

[TAFBSooner]

I am not a pot user (it's been a loooooong time since I did), but I really don't understand why anyone would be against the legalization of marijuana.

I work for the federal government. That's a really good reason to say that I'm against the legalization of marijuana.

After all, the war on pot has brought us militarization of the nation's police forces, mass incarceration of people for pot possession, and has kept millions of people from the early Boomers on down from trying that first joint. It's good for government to be making decisions about people's private business - amirite, conservatives? And most of all, because Prohibition 1.0 worked so darn well the first time around. Right, Godfather?

[8timechamps]

I hate to be debbie downer, but I have no problem with marijuana and other addictive substances being restricted, and have no problem with addictive substances that produce second-hand effects made illegal, especially in public areas.

If we're going to have national subsidized healthcare (and it's a tax, SCOTUS says, so we do), we have to make efforts to make people choose healthier lifestyles. That means curbs addictive substances, not just heroin and prescription painkillers, but also things like caffeinated soda (I am personally guilty of drinking en masse), nicotine via smokeless tobacco products, smokeless marijuana products.

In the case of things that have second-hand effects --- smoking tobacco and marijuana --- I don't mind these staying illegal in public places, and if the easiest way to do that is make them illegal, tax the hell out of them or raise the age restrictions for use to 26 (the age your parents health insurance stops under Obamacare, heh), so be it.

Sorry in advance I know I'm no fun

First, marijuana use in Colorado and Washington is banned in public areas. As it should be. However, alcohol is not banned in all public spaces, and I've been around plenty of drunk folks that have a direct affect on the people around them. Should alcohol be banned in all public places?

I'm not saying you are this way, but I think a lot of people are afraid of marijuana and making it legal. Not because of any real reason, just because they've grown up thinking it was terrible.

[8timechamps]

---I read that Colorado has had double the driving -while-stoned arrests since they made it legal----------I still don't see how a state can make it legal when it is against Fed law

Can you show me where you read that? It's false.

Here's a recent article from the Huffington Post that gives you a better (realistic picture): LINK

As for states doing things on their own, there are a lot of things that states act independently on, this is just one of them.

[8timechamps]

I work for the federal government. That's a really good reason to say that I'm against the legalization of marijuana.

After all, the war on pot has brought us militarization of the nation's police forces, mass incarceration of people for pot possession, and has kept millions of people from the early Boomers on down from trying that first joint. It's good for government to be making decisions about people's private business - amirite, conservatives? And most of all, because Prohibition 1.0 worked so darn well the first time around. Right, Godfather?

Exactly. If more people would really take the time to look beyond the headlines, and truly understand why Marijuana was considered a class 1 drug to begin with, those same folks would probably get a much better understanding.