8/13/2019 Obama says marijuana no more dangerous than alcohol

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January 19th, 2014

11:21 AM ET

19 hours ago

Obama says marijuana no moredangerous than a!oho"

Posted by

CNN White House Producer Kevin Liptak

Washington (CNN)# Marijuana, $hi!h is sti %a!ed in the same

!ategory as heroin, e!stasy and %sy!hedei! mushrooms by the &edera

go'ernment, is no more dangerous than a!oho, (resident )ara!*

Obama said in an inter'ie$ %ubished +unday

+%ea*ing to -e$ .or*er editor /a'id emni!*, Obama said he sti

'ie$ed %ot smo*ing negati'ey # but that on the $hoe, the drug $asn"t

the so!ia i that it"s been 'ie$ed as in the %ast

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As has been $e do!umented, smo*ed %ot as a *id, and 'ie$ it as a

bad habit and a 'i!e, not 'ery di&&erent &rom the !igarettes that

smo*ed as a young %erson u% through a big !hun* o& my adut i&e

don"t thin* it is more dangerous than a!oho,3 Obama tod the $ee*y

magaine

The %resident said %ot $as a!tuay ess dangerous than a!oho in

terms o& its im%a!t on the indi'idua !onsumer3

t"s not something en!ourage, and "'e tod my daughters thin* it"s a

bad idea, a $aste o& time, not 'ery heathy,3 he said

T$o states, 5oorado and 6ashington, ha'e egaied re!reationa

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8/13/2019 Obama says marijuana no more dangerous than alcohol

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marijuana use Another 17, aong $ith the /istri!t o& 5oumbia, ao$

some ega %ot use, %rimariy &or medi!ina %ur%oses )ut $hen it

!omes to &edera a$, marijuana remains a s!hedue 1 !ontroed

substan!e 8 a drug $ith high %otentia &or abuse but no a!!e%ted

medi!a use 8 and the 6hite ouse has said that Obama doesn"t

su%%ort !hanging that status

nstead, Obama said in the -e$ .or*er inter'ie$ that he"s &o!used on

ma*ing a$s that treat users &airy

6e shoud not be o!*ing u% *ids or indi'idua users &or ong stret!hes

o& jai time $hen some o& the &o*s $ho are $riting those a$s ha'e

%robaby done the same thing,3 he tod emni!*

n August, Obama"s Justi!e /e%artment announ!ed it $oud not

!haenge egaiation in 5oorado and 6ashington, and instead &o!us

&edera en&or!ement on tra&&i!*ing !ases and %re'enting %ot &rom

getting in the hands o& *ids (rose!utors are no$ reuired to &o!us on

distin!t en&or!ement %riorities that aso in!ude %re'enting dri'ing

$hie high and &orbidding the !uti'ation o& marijuana on %ubi! ands

n the -e$ .or*er, Obama said 5oorado and 6ashington"s a$s $ere

im%ortant3 sin!e they de!riminaied a !ommony used substan!e )ut

he aso said the a$s !oud raise uestions &or other iega substan!es

& marijuana is &uy egaied and at some %oint &o*s say, 6e, $e !an !ome

u% $ith a negotiated dose o& !o!aine that $e !an sho$ is not any more harm&uthan 'od*a, are $e o%en to that;3 Obama $ondered & somebody says, 6e"'egot a &iney !aibrated dose o& meth, it isn"t going to *i you or rot your teeth,are $e O