Sarah Palin Calls Marijuana "Minimal Problem"

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Republicans ,; Domestic Issues

That's right, pot smokers: You have something of an ally in Sarah Palin.

The former Alaska governor appeared on Fox Business Network last night, along with libertarian-leaning Republican Rep. Ron Paul. Paul is a longtime advocate of decriminalizing drugs at a federal level and leaving the issue to the states, something Palin would not endorse.

"If we're talking about pot, I'm not for the legalization of pot," Palin said, as Politico first noted. "I think that would just encourage especially our young people to think that it was OK to just go ahead and use it."

But she went on to say that police should not focus on arresting people who use marijuana recreationally.

"I think we need to prioritize our law enforcement efforts," Palin said. "And if somebody's gonna smoke a joint in their house and not do anybody else any harm, then perhaps there are other things our cops should be looking at to engage in and try to clean up some of the other problems that we have in society."

She added that marijuana use "relatively speaking" is a "minimal problem" in the country.

Palin has admitted to smoking when it was legal for personal use in Alaska, saying she "can't...say that I never inhaled." The state recriminalized the drug in 2006.

In the Fox Business interview, Paul said the federal government should get out of the war on drugs, calling it a "useless battle."

"Just nullify all those laws," he said.

Watch the discussion above. The conversation about marijuana begins at the 13:00 mark.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by flexsf October 30, 2010 10:09 PM EDT: She is filled with contradictions. "If someone wants to smoke pot in their bedroom, that's OK." But if two people want to get married at City Hall, she feels a need to legally prevent that from happening?

She disgusts me.; Reply to this comment


by CaliforniaPotBlog June 22, 2010 4:47 PM EDT: Some people are actually battling the modern day prohibition on marijuana without any pecuniary angle or financial interest; simply because our government has failed to deliver sensible marijuana policy to America.

Our forefathers were smart and brave enough to take on the financial titans that controlled American politics (the English, Banking industry, etc.) when it became obvious that they were no longer helping Americans lead better lives. Today we have Ron Paul, and of all people Sarah Palin going "maverick" (see: Palin On Pot - Obama Your Kettle is black http://californiapotblog.com/palin-obama-pot-black/ ) in support of government getting the hell away from our personal liberties.

Three cheers for those who follow Thomas Jefferson's lead, on federal marijuana policy and all things relating to FREEDOM... the Government is not our nanny!; Reply to this comment

by elizabeth3166 June 22, 2010 2:05 PM EDT

Sarah palin needs to wake up. Marijuana ruins kids lives
by the way I found a website that give you prizes for your opinions and 4 play games here is the topic about This:
http://opinion.ezwingame.com/topics/is-sarah-palin-right-calling-marijuana-minimal-problem

Reply to this comment


by stevenforfreeamerica August 5, 2010 4:35 PM EDT: wow you really need to read a news article once and a while. did you even know that medicinal marijuana is now found to reduce tumor growth and help prevent aggressive forms of cancer? people like you make me sick. your sit and respond to a topic your really know nothing about. im 19 in college and have been smoking for 4 years. im getting my bachelors in computer engineering. what do you do? IN YOUR FACE!


by vze23j2u June 21, 2010 4:46 PM EDT: Well now we know she is a drug user. This makes her even more repugnant as a politician. What else has she done illegally in her life? We need to know before she becomes more of threat to this country then she already is. She already wants Alaska to secede from the US.; Reply to this comment


by Conservative_1976 June 21, 2010 11:24 AM EDT: If you're a citizen of the appropriate state and you'd like to VOTE on any upcoming related opportunities on this, here are the links to REGISTER TO VOTE in a few of the states with mj laws on the ballot in November. And while we're talking, tell people to be on the watch for the "October Surprise", some trumped-up bad "news" about marijuana that will be intended to persuade voters at the last minute. Register to VOTE and tell your friends to not fall for the "October Surprise!"

ARIZONA citizens can register to vote at http://www.azsos.gov/election/voterregistration.htm
Registration for the November 2, 2010 election appears to be open until October 3, 2010.

CALIFORNIA citizens can register to vote at
https://www.sos.ca.gov/nvrc/fedform/ Just fill out the form and mail it in!
Registration for the November 2, 2010 election appears to be open until October 17, 2010.

COLRADO citizens can register to vote at http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/ . There?s a link in the ?Voter Information? section. Registration for the November 2, 2010 election appears to be open until October 1, 2010.

GEORGIA citizens can register to vote at
http://www.sos.georgia.gov/elections/voter_registration/voter_reg_app.htm
Registration for the November 2, 2010 election appears to be open until October 4, 2010.

KANSAS citizens can register to vote at
https://www.kdor.org/voterregistration/Default.aspx
Registration for the November 2, 2010 election appears to be open until October 16 or 17, 2010.

MAINE citizens have to register in person; you can read about it at http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/voterguide.html
In Maine, you can apparently register all the way up until election day, so Maine citizens, let?s turn out to vote!

MICHIGAN citizens can register to vote at
http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-50050_50420-175878--,00.html
Registration for the November 2, 2010 election appears to be open until October 1, 2010.

MINNESOTA citizens can register to vote at http://www.sos.state.mn.us/index.aspx?page=204
Registration for the November 2, 2010 election appears to be open until October 10, 2010.

MONTANA citizens can check their registration status and find other information at https://app.mt.gov/voterinfo/ or get the voter registration form at http://www.co.yellowstone.mt.gov/elections/ (sorry, I couldn?t find a state-wide site for this. I hope this gives you a good starting point, Montana!)

NEVADA citizens can register to vote at
http://nvsos.gov/index.aspx?page=76
Registration for the November 2, 2010 election appears to be open until October 12.

NORTH CAROLINA citizens can register to vote at
http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/content.aspx?id=23
Registration for the November 2, 2010 election appears to be open until October 7, 2010.

OREGON citizens can register online at
http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/votreg/vreg.htm
Registration for the November 2, 2010 election appears to be open until October 16.

SOUTH DAKOTA citizens can get the voter registration form online at
http://www.sdsos.gov/electionsvoteregistration/registrationvoting.shtm
Registration for the November 2, 2010 election appears to be open until October 10.

WASHINGTON citizens can register online at
http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/osos/en/voterinformation/Pages/RegistertoVote.aspx
Registration for the November 2, 2010 election appears to be open until October 4, 2010.

I may be a day or two off on some of the registration dates, so (1) get this done early and (2) even if you get this info on or after the dates I?ve listed, go ahead and try to register. This is our chance to make a difference!

Go online right now and get this one behind you, and you can vote in November!

The important point in this process is not what people believe or what they say to the pollsters. What matters is that they VOTE, and the first step is to REGISTER. This is the key: If this process falls short, it will not be because people don't "believe" or "know the truth," it will be because people fail to TAKE ACTION. Getting registered to vote is an absolutely 100% essential task that will either make or break this effort. Get people to register TODAY. Share the links and remind them over and over again, and get people registered TODAY.

So click on the link above for your state (or copy and paste into your browser) and get registered today, while you?re thinking of it!; Reply to this comment


by tednarcotic June 21, 2010 10:27 AM EDT: Let's see here Sarah Palin says that she is not for the legalization of marijuana but she doesn't think that the police should spend their time enforcing pot laws. Talk about standing up for nothing.; Reply to this comment


by FauxNews June 21, 2010 9:17 AM EDT: Sarah has always sounded like a druggie, this just confirms it.; Reply to this comment

by BSox101 June 21, 2010 7:39 AM EDT

I do not understand why people do not like Sarah Palin. For once you have someone that speaks her mind and is honest on the issues. People do not like to hear the truth. Politicians drink and do drugs and have for years, this is not news. Tax Marijuana, they will never control the war on drugs because it does not exist, if they wanted it stopped they would have done it a long time ago. We have the most powerful military in the world do you not think we can stop drugs from coming in if we really and honestly wanted too? If you want to solve our problems stop illegal?s from coming in and get rid of welfare. That is what needs to be fixed not someone sitting at home smoking a joint after a long day of work. Key words "long day at Work" not sitting home waiting on your next welfare check to come in.

Reply to this comment


by TRAITOROUS_REPUBLICANS June 21, 2010 9:07 AM EDT: Hey BSox101, Don't you see the horrible recession we are in at the moment or is the marijuana you're smoking hazing up your pea brain? There aren't any jobs out there and try as most people might including myself, we can't find one. We aren't sitting at home to collect " welfare checks " smoking pot. We are out pounding the pavement, mailing resumes, and doing everything in our power to get back on our feet. Palin is just a loud mouthed brainless twit just keeping in the public eye to try to possibly run for President. God Help this country if she succeeds as she will totally decimate this once proud country with even higher Nazi goals of population containment and government control. And further more I pray you and others that share the same senseless decency of pea brained mentality, I hope you don't ever face unemployment equaled to todays stature. You and others like you will be crying and flooding this country out of existence in this putrid way. GET A LIFE AND A BRAIN!!!!!!


by coastal_dweller June 20, 2010 6:23 PM EDT: I think she also must have been baked when she went on Bill O'Reilley's show the other day. Pretty interesting to watch him throw her under the bus. I guess he doesn't like dopers:

http://www.themudflats.net/2010/06/16/palin-humiliated-by-bill-oreilly-what-would-you-do/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheMudflats+%28The+Mudflats%29; Reply to this comment


by coastal_dweller June 20, 2010 6:06 PM EDT: Now it's all making sense...Palin must have smoked a big fattie right before her interview with Katie Couric. Come to think of it, she must always be hitting the evil weed before she gives interviews, tweets, writes to her blog, etc. Just look at that screen shot at the beginning of this article - does she look stoned or what?? She's probably thinking about a pepperoni pizza and a pound of Reese's peanut butter cups.

Sarah Palin: a hero to stoners everywhere!; Reply to this comment