Over the past weekend, POTUS Obama said in an interview that marijuana is less dangerous than alcohol. If he really believes that to be true, then he is either a hypocrite, a bad lawyer, or a poor leader for doing nothing to help millions of people in USA that can be imprisoned and lose their livelihood for smoking pot regardless of whether for medical or recreational use.
Marijuana is classified as a LEVEL 1 controlled substance which is the highest of 5 levels. It is in the same category as Heroin and Cocaine. When “Tricky Dick” Nixon’s administration was asked why it was put in the same category when there was no evidence that marijuana was a dangerous drug, it was declared that there was not enough evidence about the dangers of long term use.
Today, there is certainly enough evidence to substantiate that marijuana does not qualify as a LEVEL 1 Controlled Substance. In fact, if POTUS was a good lawyer and took time to read the Controlled Substance Act instead of letting Justice interpret it for him, he would see that there is conclusive evidence that marijuana does not even qualify as a controlled substance and should be removed from the Controlled Substance List altogether.
And if POTUS Obama read even further, he would see that the process to remove a substance from the list does not require an act of Congress. The power to remove is solely in the hands of the FDA. The process is to petition the FDA who then can take their sweet time in evaluating and making a determination. These determinations are not subject to scientific evidence nor is there any appeal. In fact, I’m surprised a good lawyer would see that the entire removal process is clearly unconstitutional even if the ACT itself is.
All POTUS Obama would have to do, if he wanted to, would be to issue an executive order to the FDA petitioning for an expedited review for the removal of marijuana from the Controlled Substance ACT substantiated by documented scientific evidence supporting its decision. ONLY POTUS Obama has the ability to do this and make no mistake, he has the executive authority to do so.
Once marijuana is removed from the Controlled Substance List, then Congress can deal with regulating and taxing it. If POTUS Obama was a smart man, he would see that this would provide him with an unprecedented opportunity for both sides to work together on an issue. Why? Because they would have to. There would be no choice. Even if they leave it to the states to determine individual state laws, there is the issue of interstate commerce and federal taxes that will have to be addressed. And the sooner the better for the American economy.
An overwhelming majority of voters in America support the removal of marijuana from the Controlled Substance List. An overwhelming majority of American voters support taxing it and using that money to help pay down the federal deficit in lieu of the current sequester cut and slash partisan methods. It would not only provide an opportunity to work together and provide an opportunity to pay off debts, but it would allow government to grow again. Since the conclusion of World War 2, HISTORY has shown that when our government grows, our economy grows. When government shrinks, the economy pulls back as well.
If the GOP was smart, they would gladly work with Dems just to take the issue off the table in 2016. The last thing the GOP needs is another issue where the MAJORITY OF AMERICAN VOTERS is against them.
So POTUS Obama, where’s the beef behind your words? Do you intend to do anything to help millions of Americans, or are you going to just sit back and leave the responsibility to someone else like Congress or the next POTUS? It might be a good idea to have your legacy include something other than the ACA or the capture/killing of Osama Bin Laden. You could go down in History having righted a wrong that has affected hundreds of millions of people’s lives in the past 40 years and sent countless people to jail for doing something that’s less dangerous than alcohol. You could be seen as a leader with a backbone not just to those who voted to put/keep you in office but to others watching around the world. Or you could be just another politician who says one thing and does another because you don’t have the political spine to do the right thing. It’s no longer a matter of IF it is going to be changed, it’s more a matter of WHEN it’s going to be changed. And America could really use the new income and the new jobs.
I wonder how many beer commercials there will be during this year’s Super Bowl.
In conclusion, the past 3 POTUS of United States have smoked pot and still lived to become POTUS. If it's such a dangerous drug, how the hell did that happen?