Obama: Drugs Should be Treated as a Public Health Problem

Responding to a deluge of questions regarding marijuana and drug policy that came from YouTube, President Obama today said he is not in favor of drug legalization.

However, acknowledging that the "war on drugs" has not been effective, Mr. Obama said he thinks of drugs as "more of a public health problem."

More than 140,000 questions were submitted to the president on the video website for his virtual question-and-answer session today. YouTube visitors cast more than 1 million votes, rating the questions positively or negatively. According to the Huffington Post, 198 of the 200 highest-rated questions related to drug policy.

While drug policy is hardly a top priority in Washington, Mr. Obama said it is an "entirely legitimate topic for debate."

In the top-rated YouTube video question, retired deputy sheriff MacKenzie Allen said, "The so-called war on drugs has been waged for 40 years at a cost of a trillion dollars and thousands of lives, with nothing to show for it but increased supplies of cheaper drugs and a dramatic increase in violence associated with the underworld drug market."

"Do you think there will or should come a time to discuss the possibility of legalization, regulation and control of all drugs, thereby doing away with the violent criminal market as well as a major source of funding for international terrorism?" continued the retired officer, a member of the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.

The president said the United States has to "go after drug cartels that are not only selling drugs but also creating havoc" at places like the U.S.-Mexico border.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Marijuana Nation

In September of last year, Gil Kerlikowske, Mr. Obama's national drug control policy told CBS Radio News that it is a "false argument" to say marijuana legalization would reduce cartel violence in Mexico. Kerlikowske, a former police chief and undercover narcotics detective, said, "Taking one small part of the (cartel) enterprise, marijuana away from them isn't going to change them."

Mr. Obama said today, however, that focusing the United States' drug policy on arrests, incarceration and interdiction has not had ideal results. Instead, he said, there should be more focus on decreasing demand for drugs, by treating them as other public health concerns like smoking or drunk driving.

"Typically, we've made huge strides over the last 20 to 30 years by changing people's attitudes" on those issues, he said.

The same is not true for illegal drugs. The annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health released last year showed that the rate of illicit drug use rose from 8 percent in 2008 to 8.7 percent in 2009.

Mr. Obama said today that more resources could go towards drug rehabilitation so that those looking for help from a drug treatment program do not have to wait for months for assistance. He also said there should be a way of steering nonviolent, first-time drug offenders "into the straight and narrow."

"These are all issues that are worth exploring and worth a serious debate," he said.

In May of last year, the administration released a new drug control strategy that set up five-year goals for reducing drug use and the problems associated with it. The strategy included putting more resources into drug prevention and treatment and taking a multi-faceted approach to combating drug use.

Watch CBS News' Chip Reid Interviews YouTube Moderator Steve Grove After the Interview Below:

[llonewwolf]

Legalize I don't understand the problem.
USPeople taxes pay for illegal drugs to be grown in other countries.
That's why they have to keep it legal outside the US but not in the US.
Then taxes pay to create a department to find people in other countries.
To agree to grow USCrops on their fields of drugs we will go to jail for having.
That's how it works USGov pays other countries to do things with them against us.
What part of the USPeople's deficit did that come from?
Right now they are adding on the street other drugs to marijuana so it can not be legal for street marijuana.
And at the same time they are talking about messing with medical marijuana's chemistry to stop forgetfulness.
Why do they always have to change things and then tell us to be happy with what we have.
They are never happy with what they have they always have to adjust things.
Marijuana was good enough in the 1300's and it is good enough now.
Stop playin games making life so dificult for people.
They cause depression and most of USPeople's problems.
I want a figure on how much USPeople's money has been spent in other countries on crops of any kind.
Did the USPeople know that the reason they don't have jobs is most of the jobs were taken out of this country.
When the G20 took all large industry out of the US and before that set up the youth of other countries with jobs.
I guess the USPeople were done raising industries for other countries and took them home.
Now we are starting over again with the youth of other countries living here taking jobs, benifits, ect...

[fortuenti]

Why should we have expected anything more than TOTAL DISREGARD from the President of the United States of DENIAL?!?

I don't understand--marijuana policy reform is POLITICALLY CORRECT anymore.

[tauleonardo]

I believe it is very positive that the President acknowledges the "validity" of this debate. Whenever the validity of the debate is recognized, such a "recognition" invariably implies that our side has a "valid argument"; this being so, it follows that our side (in favor of Cannabis Legalization) has a very real possibility of winning this "perfectly legitimate debate", for otherwise it would not be a "debate". All this is true even if the President is "personally opposed" to legalization (at least for now). But we cannot sit on our butts and passively expect positive developments to occur. We must participate actively, write comments at the news articles, write to politicians, sign petitions, register to vote, etc. I specifically urge all the young people to talk to their parents and grandparents and educate them about Cannabis vs. alcohol and hard drugs. As the logical evidence in our favor inexorably accumulates, we will win this "perfectly legitimate" debate!

[tauleonardo]

In this society of ever-increasing stress levels, how can anyone possibly justify keeping the substance that promotes violence (alcohol) "legal", while insisting that the substance that suppresses violence (Cannabis) should be kept "illegal"! Total absence of logic. Cannabis is not physically addictive as it has no documented physical withdrawal syndrome associated with its use; smoking Cannabis has been shown to have NO connection with increased risk of lung cancer, the so-called "gateway drug" theory is a non-existent entity altogether, and Marinol is a synthetic THC analogue, which is not at all the same thing as Medicinal Cannabis. This is together with the remarkable medicinal properties of the Cannabis plant, the denial of which is not even a "rational" thing to do! It is as pointed out in the prestigious "Substance Abuse: A Comprehensive Textbook" that states clearly that "Cannabis use suppresses violent behavior and only the unsophisticated think otherwise". Cannabis prohibition is doing more harm to this society than many people realize, as the (young) people are pushed to "experiment" with alcohol/hard drugs or dangerous, physically addictive prescription drugs, many of which promoting violent behavior instead of suppressing it as Cannabis does. CA Prop. 19 directly challenged the DEA "dogmas", and it was the reason why it infuriated the "powers that be" the way it did! Unfortunately, many lawmakers are still swayed by the DEA disinformation in all these respects, but one thing is clear: just like other repressive entities before it, the DEA will not be able to defend its mindless "dogmas" by repression alone; sooner or later the American people will clearly see this nonsense, and they will not tolerate it indefinitely!

[Conservative_1976]

Jesus said to do unto others what we would have them do unto us. I wouldn't want my child put in jail, or my parents to have their home sold by the police, over a little marijuana.

Put the drug dealers out of business. It's time to let ordinary Americans grow a little marijuana in their own back yards.

[realist51]

watch a legal drug commerical on tv once. listen to the multiple side effects of some of these "legal" drugs and ask your self what are the side effects of smoking some weed verses taking a legal pharmacitical? which one if pot was legalized would have a better chanc of harming or even killing me? to look at the benefits of legalization.you could taxthe hell out of it. people get the munches and eat more have to buy more food

[bearlives]

China knows how to stop drug trafficking , its called the death penalty. Won't see any repeat offenders.
Obama seems to have called off the DEA and ATF in CA , dont hear about too many raids and even watched a cop on tv , ask a criminal on probation if he had a 215 card to smoke (he didn't).Then the cop lets them all go , broken system in my book do the the crime do the time ,full sentence .

[buggsx]

It's not a question of "do the crime, do the time". The question is whether or not it should be a crime. Also, the punishment for a using a drug should be no more harmful than the use of the drug itself.

[Conservative_1976]

Do you really want our country to be like China? Religious persecution, forced abortion, communism...?

Jesus said to do unto others what we would have them do unto us. I wouldn't want my child put in jail, or my parents to have their home sold by the police, over a little marijuana.

Put the drug dealers out of business. It's time to let ordinary Americans grow a little marijuana in their own back yards.

[JTWilliams81]

I would like to believe Obama would go in this direction, but he's been in office 2 years and has only intensified the domestic drug war. The president knows what people like to hear and he will say things just for effect. Barry Soetoro is not like you- he is the son of a (CIA backed) communist rebel and a politically connected elitist banker.

[jsknow]

Watch Irvin Rosenfeld who gets his marijuana from the Federal government destroy all the lies about marijuana consumers being lazy and unproductive. Watch him destroy all the lies about long term heavy marijuana use being harmful. Learn the truth about marijuana: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvzX8aNwxgM

Listen to these high ranking narcotics officers expose the harms and waste of the drug war. Learn the truth about the drug war. It is a FAILED HARMFUL UNCONSTITUTIONAL UNLAWFUL VIOLENT WAR AGAINST NONVIOLENT CITIZENS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LayaGk0TMDc

The World Health Organization Documents Failure of U.S. Drug Policies http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/90295/

Cannabis Reduces Infant Mortality: http://www.salem-news.com/articles/june272010/marijuana-infants-sc.php This is a great example of information the drug war prohibitionists suppress every way they can. If babies are getting natural cannabis like substances in mother's breast milk, do you still believe marijuana is harmful at any age?

If you want a good look at how far the government will go to promote its illegal anti-marijuana drug war message read this: http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2000/03/31/magazines

Protestant, Catholic and Jewish Clergy Speak Out Against The War On Drugs
http://www.csdp.org/news/news/clergydvd.htm

WELL WORTH READING! Free online book: The Emperor Wears No Clothes, The Authoritative Historical Record of Cannabis and The Conspiracy Against Marijuana.
http://www.jackherer.com/chapter01.html

Watch this documentary about marijuana curing cancer! There are 7 parts, watch them all! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjhT9282-Tw

If you doubt marijuana is good medicine read: Granny Storm Crow's List
http://forum.grasscity.com/medical-marijuana/436257-granny-storm-crows-list-july-2009-a.html
It's more like a library than a list!

The more voters that learn the truth the better! After they learn the truth about marijuana and the drug war 80% support rationally regulating marijuana instead of prohibiting it.

The Constitutional right to freedom of religion, free speech, a free press, to keep and bear arms, to be secure in your person, house, papers and effects against unreasonable search and seizure, to life, liberty and property, to be protected from having your property taken by the government without due process of law and without just compensation, to confront the witnesses against you, to be protected from excessive bail, excessive fines, cruel and unusual punishment, to vote and others have been unjustly denied to tens of millions of Americans in the name of the drug war.

Force the Government back to the Constitution and out of our private lives! WE THE PEOPLE are not slaves nor "subjects"! Public servants are our employees NOT OUR MASTERS!

THE CONSTITUTION GIVES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ABSOLUTELY NO POWER TO LEGISLATE WHAT DRUGS WE THE PEOPLE CAN USE, GROW OR OWN!

[jsknow]

Why should a substance that is far SAFER than aspirin ONLY be legal for those that have a serious ailment? Why should people be forced to use FDA approved poisons instead of a far safer more effective natural plant? Why should a plant that is SAFER than potatoes be regulated and taxed as if it was as dangerous as alcohol? Eating a couple of raw potatoes can give you a toxic reaction but marijuana is nontoxic. Why should people have their kids taken away from them when nontoxic marijuana is found in their home while tobacco is legal and if a baby was to eat even one tobacco cigarette the nicotine in that 1 cigarette could be fatal? EVERY HOME IN THE USA HAS FAR MORE DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES THAN MARIJUANA UNDER THE KITCHEN SINK!

All major authorities agree that the vast majority of so called "drug-related" violent crime is caused by the prohibition of drugs, rather than the drugs themselves. It was the same during alcohol prohibition. Alcohol prohibition created violent criminal organizations just like every other drug prohibition has. These violent crimes should be labeled PROHIBITION RELATED, not drug related. Ending alcohol prohibition is exactly why you don't see shootouts over that drug trade any more. Stop funding criminals, gangsters, illegal aliens and terrorists with hundreds of billions of tax free $ every year! THE YEAR ALCOHOL PROHIBITION ENDED VIOLENT CRIME FELL BY 65%!

Marijuana accounts for roughly half of the entire illegal drug trade. Legalizing this one nontoxic drug that it is impossible to overdose on will take away HALF of all the illegal tax free money that is funding all the illegal drug dealers.

Many government studies have cited the safety of marijuana but rather than base rational marijuana policy in science and facts, our government ignores science and facts and promotes lies and fear mongering.

On March 22, 1972 the Richard Nixon-appointed, 13-member National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse recommended the decriminalization of marijuana, concluding, "[Marijuana's] relative potential for harm to the vast majority of individual users and its actual impact on society does not justify a social policy designed to seek out and firmly punish those who use it." Richard Nixon chose to ignore the advice of his own well qualified, expensive, taxpayer funded, commission and start the modern escalation of criminalizing marijuana consumers. The lies he promoted have done much harm! He started the "war on drugs", which is actually a violent unconstitutional war against nonviolent citizens, which are no threat to their selves or society and a war on everyone's Constitutional rights and liberties.

Google: Drug War Victims.

In 1988, after reviewing all the scientific evidence presented in a lengthy lawsuit against the government's prohibition of medical marijuana, the DEA's own administrative law judge (Judge Francis Young) wrote:
"MARIJUANA, IN ITS NATURAL FORM, IS ONE OF THE SAFEST THERAPEUTICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES KNOWN. IN STRICT MEDICAL TERMS, MARIJUANA IS SAFER THAN MANY FOODS WE COMMONLY CONSUME."

Judge young's "Opinion and recommended ruling, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Decision of Administrative Law Judge", also said:

"7. Drugs used in medicine are routinely given what is called an LD-50. The LD-50 rating indicates at what dosage fifty percent of test animals receiving a drug will die as a result of drug induced toxicity. A number of researchers have attempted to determine marijuana's LD-50 rating in test animals, without success. Simply stated, researchers have been unable to give animals enough marijuana to induce death.

8. At present it is estimated that marijuana's LD-50 is around 1:20,000 or 1:40,000. In layman terms this means that in order to induce death a marijuana smoker would have to consume 20,000 to 40,000 times as much marijuana as is contained in one marijuana cigarette. NIDA-supplied marijuana cigarettes weigh approximately .9 grams. A smoker would theoretically have to consume nearly 1,500 pounds of marijuana within about fifteen minutes to induce a lethal response.

9. In practical terms, marijuana cannot induce a lethal response as a result of drug-related toxicity."