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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

  • Realitycheck wrote...
    Really?
    December 14, 2012 6:36 pm
    "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,

    lol, please, you are not enforcing the immigration laws so don't try to give us that garbage. The key word is supposed here.....just pathetic leadership.

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  • Forrest wrote...
    Obama has deported more illegals than Bush.
    December 14, 2012 7:01 pm
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/08/27/obama-is-deporting-more-immigrants-than-bush-republicans-dont-think-thats-enough/

    You Republicans are a mixed up bunch.

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  • rational wrote...
    Forrest
    December 14, 2012 10:00 pm
    I'm not a republican, but I've changed my mind on illegal immigration. The voters have spoken and they no longer want a viable, soverign nation...so let's just allow anyone who wants to come here do it. We can forget about what is fair...that was always just a smokescreen by the left anytime they appealed to "fairness" anyway. Open up the gates I say. If the republicans were smart (which they are not) they'd jump ahead in this and be the party that puts forward the legislation. I think they'll abdicate that to the party of evil.
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  • Forrest wrote...
    Rational
    December 15, 2012 5:35 am
    I was merely pointing out to Realitycheck that Bush didn't enforce the immigration laws either. The simple truth about illegals is, if business owners (mostly conservative republicans) didn't give them a job, they wouldn't come here in the first place. Until Republicans get their own house in order they shouldn't be minding their neighbor's business.
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  • rational wrote...
    Forrest
    December 15, 2012 8:28 am
    I agree with you, those who provide jobs to illegals are the carrot that draw them to the US and bare significant blame. I doubt that there are any real statistics as to the party affiliation of those who hire illegals...I saw an article just a day or two ago about a democrat senator that had hired an illegal...so it's not all republicans.

    But I'm serious, America has spoken...they don't give a rip about the country as long as they get thier bit of the pie as he ship sinks. Seems stupid to me but that's the American electorate these days...stupid, short sighted and devoid of morality. So be it....you'll just have to forgive me if I don't join in the destruction...but go right ahead.

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  • mayday56 wrote...
    Moot point
    December 14, 2012 6:38 pm
    Never been pulled over by a fed. Only time you would see them, is if you are dealing growing, which is illegal anyways. As for generating revenue, it's like the lottery. The lottery was going to pay for schools, and all of our ills. Never happen.What money it will gererate will be swallowed up by the black hole, our government.
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  • C"mon Man wrote...
    President Obama
    December 14, 2012 10:34 pm
    He was elected and re-elected because he can relate to things that the GOP cannot.
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  • rational wrote...
    C"mon Man
    December 15, 2012 8:31 am
    I believe Obama is a sociopath, so I very much doubt he can relate to anything not focused on himself. It would be more accurate to say folks reelected him because they believed he can relate. the key difference, of course, is between reality and perception...perception trumps reality in elections...but not in economics.
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  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    election
    December 15, 2012 10:22 am
    It came down to who would keep entitlements flowing.The pot thing...President Obama can relate..........choom
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  • Ronn wrote...
    Pot Vote bad news for Republicans
    December 15, 2012 11:55 am
    Obama wont touch it Think about the POT get out to vote scheme. Look for all the states to have Legalize Pot on the ballot in 2014, this will get all the Obama voters out to vote. The republicans don't stand a chance in 2014.
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  • Forrest wrote...
    Ronn wrote... Pot Vote bad news for Republicans
    December 15, 2012 2:11 pm
    The Republicans really count on the redneck white guy when the votes are counted. Trouble is, the Southern US rednecks that vote Republican are the biggest pot smokers.
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  • rational wrote...
    Ronn
    December 15, 2012 3:54 pm
    ...this will get all the Obama voters out to vote.

    You seem to be forgetting that most of those pot voters will just reach for another bag of cheetos and blow off going into the cold to vote. Only worked in WA state because of the mail in ballot where they didn't have to move out of arm's reach of their cheetos.

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  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    Catch 22
    December 16, 2012 5:52 am
    While your all smoking the Kool Aid, remember that while the President is the chief of the Executive Branch, there's those other two, the Judiciary & Legislative Branches to contend with. Unless you think he'll represent you in that federal court of law when they bust you for marijuana distribution (cause that's all they could make stick) your still going to vacation at Club Fed in WA or CO. Put that in your pipe & smoke it!
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  • cigarfan wrote...
    @Rangerhawk
    December 17, 2012 9:55 am
    You should also remember that it takes the president's approval/signature to generally make a legislative branch bill -become law.
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