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Obama.jpg
President Barack Obama says he will not go after Washington state and Colorado for legalizing marijuana. He says the federal government has "bigger fish to fry." (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo)

President Obama discourages drug use, but won't go after Washington pot smokers

December 14, 2012 @ 7:08 am (Updated: 7:12 am - 12/14/12 )

President Obama says the federal government will not go after recreational marijuana users in Washington, now that pot is legal in our state.

"We've got bigger fish to fry," Obama told Barbara Walters in an interview ABC News will air tonight.

This is Mr. Obama's first public comment on the topic since voters in Washington legalized marijuana in November. The law took effect last week.

Walters asked the president if he supports making pot legal.

"I wouldn't go that far," he responded.

He also said the federal government is not worried about people who smoke a small amount of marijuana.

"It would not make sense for us to see a top priority as going after recreational users in states that have determined that it's legal," Obama says.

The issue is a tricky one because any institution that receives federal funding is following federal law, rather than state law regarding marijuana. The differences need to be worked out.

"This is a tough problem, because Congress has not yet changed the law," says Obama. "I head up the executive branch. We're supposed to be carrying out laws, and so what we're going to need to have is a conversation about, how do you reconcile a federal law that still says marijuana is a federal offense and state laws that say that it's legal?"

Obama wrote in his 1995 memoir, "Dreams from My Father," that he smoked pot regularly with his high school friends.

"There are a bunch of things I did that I regret when I was a kid," Obama tells Walters.

"My attitude is, substance abuse generally is not good for our kids, not good for our society," he says. "I want to discourage drug use."

By LINDA THOMAS

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Comments (62)


  • Add A Comment

  • Dark Jedi wrote...
    Looks like I won't be going to Bumbershoot anymore
    December 14, 2012 8:36 am
    The smell of pot is nauseous. Every year I have gone to Bumbershoot, the stage areas always reek of it. I even saw a guy blowing his smoke down towards an infant thinking it was funny. Now with pot being legal to smoke, the whole festival is going to stink from that crap.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kato1967 wrote...
    What's funny is...
    December 14, 2012 8:37 am
    ...that had it been tobacco smoke being blown toward an infant they would have had a SWAT team take the guy down and cart him off to prison for life. But pot smoke, that's A-OK.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mayday56 wrote...
    What's funny is...
    December 14, 2012 6:54 pm
    Where has that happened, and be specific. Don't make up stuff to prove a idiotic statement.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cdbtx wrote...
    Just do get the Fed's mad
    December 14, 2012 8:47 am
    It's $250K minimum fine and a minimum of 5 years in Jail if the DEA comes for a visit... and it's at their "Whim" if they choose to visit...

    Remember he said recreational user - so the State is looking at the regulations for growers, processors, and retailers - are they outside of the scope of recreational user?

    The State has already defined the license fees along with a tax rate of 25% for the growers, 25% for the processors, and 25% for the retailers. There are bound to be a tons on new regulations.

    Think the price will go up and create a new underground market to avoid the taxes and fees?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • PHR wrote...
    The underground market
    December 14, 2012 9:32 am
    Has been around a long time. Any time prohibition is imposed an underground market is "created" Open a history book and check out how the 18th amandment worked out in the 1920's.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • murr wrote...
    His voting base
    December 14, 2012 9:39 am
    Also the most needy in our society, and he is their to enable. Hand outs for votes. From the makers to the takers. If its not that bad, lets see all the pilots, truck drivers, heavy eqipment operators, police force, all the others use it. Wait tell those lawsuits plug up our court system ???? To a court near you ???? They dont mind its all on the tax payers backs while they all get paid, and get retirements and benies, that the REAL workers can never get.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    Choom gang
    December 14, 2012 10:37 am
    Hhahahahahaahaaaaa Barry the coke user and pot smoker.Hipocrite
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Forrest wrote...
    "Barry the coke user and pot smoker".
    December 14, 2012 11:21 am
    So was little Georgie Bush.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    President Obama discourages drug use...
    December 14, 2012 12:50 pm
    This from the guy who lit up like Bob Marley and snorted lines light a Hoover vac. Yep...do as I say; not as I do AGAIN. Hypocrite.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Huge potential for tourism in Washington
    December 14, 2012 12:53 pm
    We already have too many stink-foot hippies here. We don't need more. They produce nothing, contribute nothing but sure know how to take...take...take...I suggest you move to Colorado.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    @HPD 5-0
    December 14, 2012 1:26 pm
    Wouldn't it make more sense for you to move?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mayday56 wrote...
    tourism
    December 14, 2012 7:01 pm
    Seig Heil!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Largent804 wrote...
    Business Response to the Law
    December 14, 2012 1:14 pm
    Well now that it is legal in this state it was interesting the response of the company I work. They basically said even though it is legal in this state we still have a Zero tolerance for Drugs. What they also said is if someone who is applying for a job has drugs in their system which last for at least three weeks we will not hire them.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Like Ann Romney would say . . . .
    December 14, 2012 1:56 pm
    WE LOVE YOU OBAMA!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    Not such a tough problem, except for a progressive...
    December 14, 2012 5:19 pm
    "This is a tough problem, because Congress has not yet changed the law," says Obama.

    If you believed in the constitution it wouldn't be such a problem. The federal government has no mandate to address such laws provided in the constitution. This is a clear open and shut case of state rights...but that flies against the heart and soul of a progressive that wants to discard the constitution and build up a strong central authority.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mayday56 wrote...
    progressive
    December 14, 2012 7:02 pm
    "build a strong central authority". Isn't he protecting states rights here, by not prosecuting?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    mayday56
    December 14, 2012 9:56 pm
    Isn't he protecting states rights here, by not prosecuting?

    He says it's a tough problem...if he believed in states rights he wouldn't see a problem at all. Assuming the courts actually upheld the constitution, which is not a given, if he tried to enforce federal law the efforts could be thrown out on the grounds of states rights. Obama's well known for his coke use, so it seems unlikely that he has any real issue with people using drugs. It's also possible he isn't willing to risk pushing it and having the general (and false) assumption of federal supremacy overturned.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • when reality hits you wrote...
    Absolutely happy with that!
    December 14, 2012 5:48 pm
    Will the next presidents will be as cool? He said, paralyzingly stated, "yes I respect the people will to act through state government. "
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • when reality hits you wrote...
    ++Hick-up++
    December 14, 2012 5:56 pm
    fizzle**
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }