President Obama: Not Worth Going After Recreational Pot Users In Washington And Colorado
President Barack Obama said it is not a priority to go after recreational pot users in states where the drug has been legalized, saying there are more important issues to address.
“We’ve got bigger fish to fry,” Obama told ABC News‘ Barbara Walters. “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.”
Voters in Colorado and Washington voted in November to legalize recreational pot use for adults, but federal law still prohibits marijuana, The Huffington Post noted.
The votes legalizing marijuana for recreational use have been celebrated by many in both states. In Seattle, pot users gathered for a countdown to the minute that pot became legal, all smoking in unison in celebration.
Last week, President Obama’s administration suggested it may be considering plans to undermine the initiatives in Colorado and Washington. Speaking to Barbara Walters, Obama did not say whether his administration would go after marijuana producers and suppliers, The Huffington Post reported.
In California, the Obama administration has come down hard on producers and suppliers despite pot being legal in that state for medical issues.
If Obama does decide to back off recreational pot users, he would be responding to the will of the American people. A slim majority want the Department of Justice to leave pot smokers alone in the states where the drug has been legalized, according to a HuffPost/YouGov poll.
