Yesterday, I blogged about President Obama's dismissive and laughing response to the most highly rated question posted to the Online Town Hall meeting, and how he suggested that it said "something about the online community".

What was the question which drew such an embarrassed rejoinder from the President? Here it is:

"With over 1 out of 30 Americans controlled by the penal system, why not legalize, control, and tax marijuana to change the failed war on drugs into a money making, money saving boost to the economy? Do we really need that many victimless criminals?" 

Today, Paul Armentano, deputy director of NORML wrote an article for The Hill, the Congressional blog, addressing this issue. The article was good, but what as even better were the comments posted in response. 

Having read all 50 of them, I have this something to say "about the online community": They are intelligent, respectful, well-informed and passionate about their beliefs. I invite you to take some time to read them as well. It might take a while, but afterwards you will have no illusions about what kind of folks support the legalisation and regulation of cannabis.

1. How many arrests will be enough to end this war? How many lives will have to be ruined before the war on drugs is won? Taking parents away from children, husbands away from wives and sons from mothers. Is that how we should tout our “free” society? When we have the world’s leading prison population holding 25% of our population in prisons while only having 1% of the world’s population. And you can vote and write all you want but they never seem to listen, this has been 3 or 4 times that the American people have spoken out on the issue to President Obama and each time he finds another way to blow us off, without any real candid debate or even thoughtful commentary. Where would Mr. Obama be today if he had been a victim of the War on Drugs? If he was unfortunate enough to have been arrested for possession of marijuana or even cocaine, which carries much stiffer penalties. And what of the guy that he got those drugs from, does Obama feel that he was forced to use those drugs by him, or did he make the conscious choice to use them himself? Does that guy deserve to rot in prison like so many of the people that decided to take the risk to provide people what they desired. It’s just as a compassion grower, does he deserve lockup for helping a patient? And while some of these “dealers” are criminals in other ways than just selling an illegal substance, wouldn’t it be much more prudent if we could regulate the sale of these “harmful” substances rather than leave it up to someone who isn’t required by state or federal law to check ID or even own a store to put the substance in a place that would create a safer environment for all involved and take the criminal element out of the trade? As was mentioned in the article marijuana is easier to find for high schoolers than alcohol. And we don’t condone underage drinking, just because alcohol is legal, it is legal for responsible adults consumption, not for children, nicotine as well, we entrust adults to make these rational decisions when they are adults to choose what they will and will not imbibe. Yet when a substance is illegal we create this rebellious idea about using these drugs, and that attracts teens. Teen alcohol and tobacco use is down but their marijuana use is up and especially their use of prescription drugs from their parents medicine cabinets, because those are thought to be safe, although recent recalls by the FDA have proven otherwise. Why is this a laughing matter Mr. Obama? This isn’t a convoluted pipe dream, this is serious. how many prisons do we need to build and how many prisoners do we need to have before the war on drugs is successful? When half of the U.S. population is in prison will that be enough? How about 3/4? Does that at some point strike you as similar to past events that we should have avoided happening due to the terrible infringement on human rights?

   Comment by Anonymous — March 27, 2009 @ 11:14 am

2. This angers me to no end. This makes no sense to me. Why is something illegal that causes no harm to anyone else other than the user. Only the act of prohibition causes the harm, not the drug itself. What I do to myself is my business and absolutely none of the governments business.

   Comment by Ray Jeffas — March 27, 2009 @ 11:24 am

3. I voted for President Obama, but if he continues to disrespect the vast numbers of us he can bet his bottom dollar that I won’t waste my vote on him. I never advocated single issue voting, but after the President thought that ending the 95 year old war on cannabis is but a laughing matter, this will be my deciding factor on who I support from now on. It won’t be any of the bin there doin it again crowd. The whole government is stuck on stupid when it comes to sensible cannabis regulation and enough is enough. Bail out the crooks on Wall Street, keep fighting your war for oil and run the country into the ground by continuing failed policies. maybe when it all falls down we can be free in this once free and great nation. All we got now is a joke, but nobody is laughing.

   Comment by Greg Williams — March 27, 2009 @ 11:52 am

4. Marijuana legalization is a serious issue for tens of millions of Americans. For President Obama to laugh it off is a slap in the face to millions of people who donated to him online and voted for him. I just wish he would stop bowing to politics and do the right thing.

   Comment by Michael Hackett — March 27, 2009 @ 11:54 am

5. Prohibition is nothing to laugh about. Would it be funny Mr. President if you happened to have had a marijuana arrest record? I bet it would have been hard getting into those schools, huh?

   Comment by Trenity — March 27, 2009 @ 12:03 pm

6. I cannot believe the way that this issue was handled. I am very disappointed with the way that President Obama responded to this question. Does he realize that he insulted Millions of Americans? I expected that President Obama would express the fact that he does not agree with the Legalization of Marijuana, but to turn the issue into a laughing stock…..Wow. I was not expecting that. It’s not just about “stoners” just wanting to smoke pot. This is an issue that many people, including those of use who do not use Marijuana, feel will help America during these difficult times. It is not right what President Obama did and I am completely offended. This kind of behavior, in my opinion, demonstrates how the Obama Administration will handle issues that they do not support. I voted for Obama and I can PROMISE you that I will not be voting for him in 2012 if he continues to mock the issues that I feel are Important.

   Comment by Ryan, VA — March 27, 2009 @ 12:06 pm

7. The way President Obama treated the topic of marijuana was embarrassing as well as insulting. Whether he knows that what we have to say is the truth and just refuses to pick up the topic is beside the point. This was a huge slap in the face to all of millions of people who support legalization. Sure it ok to make fun of a hippie but what does it say when there are dozens if not hundreds of top economist who support legalization and have provided research proving that it WOULD in fact help out economy.

   At the very least president obama owes the online community a huge apology, and if he really meant it he would have a real conversation with somebody about legalization and actually address the questions and topics that where pointed out. At this point the facts are out. It will help. This is obviously an issue that wont go away as long as you are serious about asking people what they want changed. The answer is clear. STOP ARRESTING INNOCENT PEOPLE. We are sick of the wasted resources and time. We have wasted 80 years in this hopeless money pit.

   The lack of regulation does nothing but help to make it easier for children to get a hold of drugs.

   Comment by drewbob — March 27, 2009 @ 12:06 pm

8. Today the debate of legalization of marijuana continues as one of the most controversial topics of the 21st century. Marijuana is and continues to be the most used illicit drug amongst Americans.
   The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 regulates the production, possession, trafficking, and distribution of drugs in America. It places all drugs into one of five schedules in terms of abuse and current medical uses and recognition. Schedule one drugs are listed as having a high tendency for abuse, can produce dependency, and most importantly no support for medical use. On the other hand, schedule five drugs have a lower chance of abuse and provide medicinal uses like cough suppressants with codeine. Due to 20th century ideology marijuana remains categorized on schedule one along with drugs such as heroin, crack cocaine, and LSD.
   The fact is that marijuana being placed on schedule one is beyond ridiculous. Science has proven that marijuana has medicinal value. Marijuana has shown to help improve sleep, alleviate anxiety, migraines, and in successful treatment for a variety of more serious illnesses. Some of the benefits associated with the use of medical marijuana include reduction of severe nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy; prevent seizures, combating weight loss from debilitating illness such as HIV infection and cancer, spasticity from neurological diseases like multiple Sclerosis, and in dealing with a variety of pain disorders. There has also been clinical research that shows moderate use of medical marijuana for glaucoma can reduce the fluid pressure in eyes that causes irreversible damage to vision. Furthermore, marijuana has shown to treat people who suffer from movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
   Medicinal value aside, prohibition of marijuana has been a total failure. It didn’t work for alcohol and isn’t working now. In 2007 there were over 800,000 marijuana related arrests with simple possession accounting for over 700,000 of those. These are non-violent citizens who are filling up our jails and costing the American tax payer billions of dollars a year. High school students surveyed on their use of intoxicants have shown that they find marijuana more accessible (more than alcohol and cigarettes) because they go through the black market. The drug dealers don’t care the age of their consumers.
   Now Mexico is on the verge of collapsing because of their lucrative drug trade. Its estimated that 60-80% of their profits are on marijuana sales. How can anyone justify the prohibition of marijuana when faced with these statistics? Its been proven that marijuana, while not safe, is safer than both alcohol and cigarettes combined. You cannot overdose on marijuana and doesn’t cause cancer or lung disease.
   Legalization could free up our prisons, curb the profits from the drug trade, create jobs, and make money for the U.S. economy! Estimates from a taxed and regulated marijuana market range from 14 to 40 billion dollars. Wake up Obama! This is NOT A LAUGHING MATTER!

   Comment by Jeremy — March 27, 2009 @ 12:12 pm

9. I personally felt incredibly insulted and belittled by President Obama’s reaction to our questions. Millions of American citizens lobbying for marijuana law reform take this matter very seriously and with many good reasons related to the state of the economy. We’ve made our case. We’ll continue to make it even after today.

   What’s so insulting though, is having no explanation from our President as to why he feels the way that he does, while all the less popular questions were talked about for minutes on end. He made a joke of us and moved on without a care.

   I voted for Obama, riding on his wave of “hope” and “change”. Americans’ #1 concern, as evident by change.gov and this recent open town hall, is the change of our marijuana laws so that we as people can help boost the economy by creating millions of new green jobs. A booming industry awaits.

   Obama asked us to ask him questions in his forum, inviting us to his place and once we arrived, he poked fun and laughed at us. Who in their right mind (or in his position for that matter) does that sort of thing to another human being when seriously discussing American policy?

   That’s what I call disrespect. If we seem angry about it, we certainly have good reason to be.

   We’re ready to have a serious discussion, Mr. President. How about you?

   Comment by David C. — March 27, 2009 @ 12:18 pm

10. How will the now ridiculed “online audience” vote for Mr. Obama next time around?

    Comment by Common Sense — March 27, 2009 @ 12:19 pm

11. I believe Mr. Obama is listening, we just have to be on him consistently with the issue of marijuana reform. Fortunately and and at the same time unfortunately, the drug violence in Mexico is the best thing that ever occurred for Marijuana Reform. I think reform is on the horizon because the violence is not going away, we enrich cartels with money that our government should receive through a tax on marijuana. I just do not understand why Obama has changed his tune so much in just four years, at Northwestern University in 2004 in a debate when Obama was running for Senate he said, the ‘War on Drugs’ was an utter failure, and that ‘we need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws’. It is all strategy, if we continue to contact our Congressmen and Congresswomen as well as Obama, he will eventually have to give a reason why he is against legalization. And even worse is that Obama was a big cocaine and marijuana user only about 20 or so years ago, what if he had been arrested, would he be where he is right now. I just find it very wrong that it was OK for him, but not for the other half of U.S. citizens (100 million). He is listening though, just think would we have been even having this mainstream media debate a few years ago…most likely not.

    Comment by John from U.P. Michigan — March 27, 2009 @ 12:25 pm

12. I am writing to express my frustration and anger over my President’s answer to the question of legalizing Marijuana. I was able to view the President’s little “Web Hall Meeting” yesterday. My jaw dropped to the floor when I heard him, FINALLY respond to what happens to be one of the most “popular” topics/questions on Change.Gov.

    And I quote, “I don’t know what this says about the online audience, but [laughing] this was a fairly popular question, we want to make sure it was answered. The answer is no, I don’t think that is a good strategy to grow our economy.”

    What does this say about the online audience? Is there something humorous about the question? Do you think that the majority of Americans who want to see an end to the Prohibition are just a bunch of “Stoners”? Are you people so incredibly blind as to what effect the legalization of Marijuana will be on the big “Drug Cartels”? I thought the President’s message during his campaign for the Presidency was CHANGE!!!!!! I see no change whatsoever happening on this issue. How will legalizing, regulating and taxing the sale of marijuana NOT throw a wrench into the workings of the drug cartels?

    May I suggest that someone in the Administration, with all their fancy communications “toys”, go online to http://www.norml.org. It’s rather amazing what you will find there. Are you aware that a team of researchers has been able to identify the process that cannabis employs to actually kill certain types of Cancer cells? Did you know that the THC and other cannabinoids in Marijuana can also help heal damaged cells?

    I’m 55 years old. And for most of my adult life, I have been apolitical. I happened to vote for Barak Obama for President. The last time I voted in a Presidential election was in 1972. I voted for Richard Nixon. That fact embarrasses me to this day, and was the reason I had not voted again….until Mr. Obama came along. And I’m regretting walking to my polling station last November 4th, and casting my vote for him.

    Change? I have been through two, 48 week periods of chemotherapy which has left me a shell of who I had been. At the risk of having a SWAT team of DEA agents knock down my apartment door, I have been using cannabis along with the many medicines I’ve been prescribed. It is truly the only effective medicine I ingest. But, that makes me a criminal. And it’s not just me. There are more than enough personal stories out there about how Cannabis has helped….even cured hundreds of thousands of individuals. Yet, our “wise” politicians’, those who gain to lose campaign funds if they were to support the legalization of Marijuana, those same people that WE put into those seats, are either blind, frightened of losing financial support, or just plain stupid. The Majority of this Country’s population want….demand that this useless, and obviously very dangerous, life taking Prohibition be ended.

    I am completely confused by the lack of insight on the part of our politicians’ to comply with the wishes of the majority of American Citizens. Why don’t those members of Congress, who themselves indulge in the use of Marijuana, step forward and do the right thing? Why won’t my President do the right thing? Why do I have to be made to feel less than human, or a drug addict, because of Mr. Obama’s feelings about his on line audience members?

    I have been unable to work for over two years now. I’ve been denied SSDI, even though I’ve lost control of bowel and bladder functions, have teeth literally falling out of my mouth, am suffering from memory loss, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Hepatitis C , (never used a needle and am heterosexual), COPD, panic/anxiety, depression, constant pain, loss of hearing, and on and on. I’ve had to live off of my retirement monies for the past two years. And I don’t have much left. I don’t have family to fall back on and expect to be homeless and living in a cardboard box by the end of summer. I have no Medical Insurance, so I am unable to seek any further medical care.

    Will the world come to an end if Marijuana were to be legalized? Certainly, someone in the administration is aware of the financial benefits this country would enjoy by ending the Prohibition. (I forgot. This is America. The home of the Free. Free unless you happen to use a harmless and potentially life saving “weed”). I am not feeling very proud to be an American these days. Change? Does anyone there actually understand the definition of the word “Change”?

    Comment by Jeff Peterson — March 27, 2009 @ 12:35 pm

13. We need to focus on educating everyone, including the president, on the benefits marijuana has as a crop. Not just the buds that everyone thinks of when the word marijuana is mentioned. Not just the part of the plant that gets you high.

    If more people talked about the opportunities marijuana would provide farmers for purposes like textiles, plastics, paper, etc. I think more people would be interested in the legalization of the plant.

    As a crop it requires little to no fertilizer, grows quickly, and can survive environmental changes that some other crops it would replace cannot.

    The super crop marijuana should be legalized for much more than just it’s recreational benefit.

    Comment by Jash — March 27, 2009 @ 12:43 pm

14. Legalizing cannabis is no laughing matter Mr. President, if you are going to laugh at the idea I encourage you to do it in each of the 800,000 individuals’ faces that are arrested yearly for simple cannabis possession, and see how funny they find it.

    Not only will legalizing cannabis create countless new jobs, it will make it harder for children to obtain cannabis, and keep countless Americans out of jail where they can maintain a career and pay taxes like the rest of us.

    Comment by Andrew — March 27, 2009 @ 12:49 pm

15. Very disappointing reaction Mr. President; far less than I expected from an intelligent man such as yourself. Please help us get back some of our individual freedoms by ending this ridiculous prohibition. And please help take money out of the hands of criminals and boost our economy. Thank you for your time.

    LEGALIZE! GIVE BACK FREEDOM!

    Comment by Chase — March 27, 2009 @ 12:52 pm

16. I was very disappointed yesterday when I tuned into the town hall meeting. I thought for sure this time he would give this issue that is obviously important to so many Americans the serious thought that it deserves. As a die-hard Obama supporter this past fall who would sing his praises to anyone who would listen, and even those who wouldn’t, I feel insulted by Mr. Obama’s actions. I hope that he will realize that he has alienated a strong group of his supporters, and that this issue is no laughing matter. We, the people, are serious about this issue, the time to repeal prohibition is now.

    Comment by Jimmy — March 27, 2009 @ 12:56 pm

17. Thank you Mr. Obama for insulting me and the online community.The online community is obviously more progressive than you are. I am passionate about reform and to to be laughed at is upsetting. How can someone not see the detrimental effects of prohibition. A simple “no” is not a good enough answer. If I remember correctly about 500 economist wrote an open letter to Bush about the economic benefits of legalizing marijuana. Obama will not be getting my vote for a 2nd term.

    Comment by Glen — March 27, 2009 @ 12:59 pm

18. Unfortunately the amount of money Obama recieved from the marijuana community that helped him to get elected pales in comparison to the geo-political infrastructure that profits off of prohibition. DEA jobs, free money from seizures of cash and property, etc… He is also at the beck and call of the pharmacuetical industry because his PhRMA buddies can’t make money off of it. Obama and his administrations actions will always speak louder than the words they speak. Did’nt they say “new policy” towards medical dispensary raids? A dispensary was raided in San Fran on Wed. without the help or notification of local authorities. Obama…. you and your administration are a liars just like the rest of the corporate owned DC puppets known as our leaders!!!!! Plain and simple. Good news is, you have a little more money to send to the real criminals in your bailouts. Thank you for your support.

    Sincerely disgusted.

    Comment by Doug — March 27, 2009 @ 12:59 pm

19. I feel I must put something down just to add to the list of citizens disappointed with President Obama’s lack of attention to this issue. Most everything already written I agree with in one way or another but . The facts are what they are and no longer can the government use their propaganda to fill us up with fear and false information. Since Pres. Obama was elected by the people (and admitting to past personal use) he should have more compassion for this issue and treat it with more seriousness. Thank you for instructing the DEA to end the raids on medical marijuana dispensaries but the fight against prohibition will not end there.

    Comment by HBJOHN — March 27, 2009 @ 1:05 pm

20. Someone is arrested for a marijuana offense once every 37 seconds in this country. President Obama is very lucky that he wasn’t one of them. His disrespecful dismissal of this issue clearly did not go unnoticed. President Obama won my vote by admitting the complete failure of the war on drugs. If taxing and regulating cannabis is not a viable option for ending the drug war, then what are his ideas? Does he really believe that it is good policy to arrest and imprison otherwise law abiding citizens? Maybe support for legalization would be a larger factor in more than just the online community if people weren’t afraid they would lose their jobs and freedom by supporting legalization. We are not going away, President Obama.

    Comment by Anna Diaz — March 27, 2009 @ 1:05 pm

21. well i don’t like to bring this up much but i am a veteran of the war in iraq and have served my country honorably, never asked why just did my job, well now that i am back i can’t leave my house i can’t be in public, my mind doesn’t quite work the same, so i smoke marijuana, it makes me appreciate life, enjoy the good, i have also been arrested for it, and the president of the united states who gave us so much hope laughed at us something i never expected from him, but we will laugh last we will win our fight we will get our civil liberties

    Comment by John Weber — March 27, 2009 @ 1:07 pm

22. Prohibition is SLAVERY! Stop the madness. YOU INSULTED MILLIONS OF HARD VWORKING AMERICANS< WE WILL NOT FORGET THIS WHEN WE ARE IN THE VOTING BOOTH REMEMBER THAT OBAMA

    Comment by Andrew Snyer — March 27, 2009 @ 1:09 pm

23. While President Obama enjoys his nicotine addiction, the single most addictive, fatal vice we are legally allowed to engage in, he sanctions the jailing of tens of thousands of American citizens for using a substance that is therapeutically safer for you than aspirin.
    He obviously feels he doesn’t need the help or support from me and millions of people like me to help fix this mess if he is willing to continue this war our government wages on it’s citizens.
    I voted for him and I wish him success in running the country. I will never again vote for a canidate that does not clearly support an end to cannabis prohibition.

    Comment by Gail McLean — March 27, 2009 @ 1:20 pm

24. No respect
    No hope
    No change
    No time
    Marijuana march 4-20-2009
    on the white house steps

    Comment by Andrew Snyer — March 27, 2009 @ 1:23 pm

25. Mr. Obama,

    The questions about Legalization of Cannabis are valid and important questions concerning our nation’s economy and our Constitutional promise of “Freedom”. We the People WANT CANNABIS LEGALIZED and we KNOW that it will indeed help the economy. Please do not brush off the majority of American citizens with a joke! This is no laughing matter! The U.S. Government’s policy of arresting nearly 1 million of its citizens per year for Cannabis is no laughing matter.

    Let me tell you “what this says about our online audience” – It says “Mr. President, We the People demand the restoration of our original freedoms to consume Cannabis! We know Cannabis to be a plant that will solve many of the issues facing this country now, and if you will study real facts you will know this to be true. We the People want the Medicinal Properties of Cannabis, the Economic Boost from Cannabis, the Green Ecological Benefits of Cannabis as well as a Safe Alternative to the horrible and very deadly Alcohol and Cigarettes that are totally legal under U.S law.”

    Not all of us can handle hard drugs like Alcohol (which I hear the U.S. Government can and does drink large quantities of). Yet we are asked - as they take over ¾ of a million of us yearly to jail - “Why don’t you just Drink?” Alcohol is NOT a safe alternative!

    Cannabis would be great for the economy and would stop much of the violence in the U.S. and Mexico.

    Does this really seem to be a laughing matter?

    Please Legalize Cannabis!

    Comment by Dennis Elliott — March 27, 2009 @ 1:23 pm

26. Prohibition is destroying the lives of millions of people, and has been shown to be the most harmful thing about marijuana. If the president does not support the issue, then he should spend the time to explain his position in the same manner that he does for all other issues. Laughing at the most popular question from his online poll is down right disrespectful.

    Comment by Brian — March 27, 2009 @ 1:34 pm

27. Dear Mr. President:

    I can answer your query regarding “your online audience”.

    Your online audience knows what a failure the War on Drugs has been, especially when it comes to marijuana.

    Your online audience is on the average younger than you, and believe it or not, smoke pot JUST LIKE YOU DID.

    Your online audience knows that your V.P. is about as poor choice of a V.P. as one can get. This atrocity happened because Obama needed to appease part of the “conservative” voter base. These “Reefer Madness” holdouts would shudder at voting for an inexperienced man who once described the War on Drugs as “an utter failure”. So, we get… ugh, Biden, and his naive views.

    Your online audience are human beings. We are angry at the disrespect shown towards a LARGE BASE OF YOUR VOTER POPUATION by nervously dismissing a very important issue.

    Twenty million arrests is enough. Furthermore, seeing good people shot up by cops really makes us angry (Google Derek Copp for the latest high-profile cop response to a marijuana user). I am an educated man and know the psychological aspects of this War. Drug users and dealers alike are viewed as, literally, inhuman. Label and de-humanize, that is the way of War.

    We know what Hillary is doing down in Mexico, shifting the blame on Mexico’s drug cartel problems to America’s “insatiable appetite for drugs”. Give me a break, Hillary, we know that it’s the ridiculous prohibitionist policies. Stop making enemies out of your own people. The country is already divided enough.

    We, the online audience, know that alcohol is far more dangerous than marijuana. Apparently some generation before us got the drug they preferred so they felt comfortable being hypocrites. We know pot prohibition’s history and it’s filled with the lies of self-serving politicians.

    I’m a medical pot smoker, but that doesn’t mean I am happy with the 700,000+ arrests each year for simple marijuana possession.

    Seriously, Enough is enough. Stop skirting the issue. Your Drug War has failed my generation. I am 33.

    Have a good weekend, everyone.

    Comment by Matt Buompensiero — March 27, 2009 @ 1:34 pm

28. I am sick of WAR. Iraq, Afganistan, and more than any the War om Drugs/Americans.
    Mr. President do not waste any more of our tax dollars on this failed “War on Drugs” policy!
    You got my vote once but if you continue to ignore this issue and laugh it off you will not get it again.
    The people are speaking. Obama, Pelosi, Hatch and all the rest of you supporters of prohibition, prisons and disrespect for our rights better listen up.
    We the people have had it with this policy of prohibition and the waste of money/ destruction of families this so called war has brought us.
    We want our freedom back! We don’t want to be marginalized and ridiculed. We don’t want our body fluids searched unreasonably (drug screens). We want our Constitutional rights restored. Life Liberty and the persuit of HAPPINESS.
    You are so obviously in bondage to the Pharmacutical companies and so out of touch with the people.
    What is it goiong to take, another 20 million of our brothers and sisters arrested? How many prisons do we need?
    Maybe you all need to get the hell out of politics so rational people can have a go at fixing the stupid policies you support.

    Comment by Sensible — March 27, 2009 @ 1:35 pm

29. The legalization of marijuana is a simple, powerful, and ultimately effective way to hedge against the risk of our nation’s new massive spending programs and crime. Not to mention it will definitely be good for the economy by creating jobs, increasing trade, and creating new businesses. The fact that President Obama laughed off and dismissed these facts is sad and disrespectful. With our country teetering on the brink of a depression it is vital that President Obama take a serious look at this issue. I urge President Obama to do a realistic cost benefit analysis of legalizing marijuana. I am certain he will find that the benefits of legalization far out weigh the costs by a substantial factor. Again with our global economy on the line, time is truly of the essence, the sooner we can get the benefits of legalization the sooner our economy can recover.

    Comment by NCS Chicago — March 27, 2009 @ 1:43 pm

30. Obama,

    did you really just laugh off the top voted question on your site?

    How are we supposed to take you seriously when you can’t take us seriously?

    Comment by Rob — March 27, 2009 @ 1:45 pm

31. President Obama- I supported your bid for the presidency. I defended you against detractors, and I was very happy when you won the election. But now I can no longer support you. You responded flippantly and with derision when asked about reconsidering the logic of today’s cannabis laws, even though the majority of Americans support this. How dare you? You work for US, mister! The citizens of the USA! You admit that you have smoked marijuana, yet you stand by and do NOTHING to address the injustice suffered by thousands of young people who are arrested daily and persecuted under Americas draconian drug laws. Families are ruined, students become ineligible for aid, and America imprisons a higher percentage of its citizens than almost any other nation, and you LAUGH when asked to look into this?! You are a hypocrite! The only difference between you and people suffering under this system is you didn’t get caught! You didn’t get any student aid when you were young? Wouldn’t having a criminal record have been a little inconvenient in your career process? Can you run for office easily with a criminal record? In my opinion you should either rethink your ridiculous position on this matter, or renounce the presidency and your university degrees. Your present position makes you a fool and a hypocrite. Sincerely, Capt. Erik Allred

    Comment by Captain Erik A — March 27, 2009 @ 1:48 pm

32. We’ll see progress as we keep the political process focussed on a few key questions.
    Does the use of marijuana potentially pose some health risks? Sure. But the health risks of prison are worse, so we can’t ignore that the punishment for using marijuana is more harmful to the user than the marijuana is.
    Will the drug cartels continue to be criminals after marijuana is legalized? Sure. But they’ll be shorted out of a big chunk of revenue once people can grow their own marijuana, and that means the cartels will have less money to buy guns and other tools of their trade, so we can’t ignore that legalizing marijuana will hurt the drug cartels and make our cities (and Mexico) safer.
    Do marijuana users sometimes have accidents or drive while intoxicated? Sure. But anyone who’s ever been around a drunk driver and a stoned driver knows very well the stoned driver is a much safer choice, so we can’t ignore that if drinkers switch to marijuana, our streets will be safer.
    Are lots of people going to use marijuana whether it’s legal or not? Sure, but if it’s legal, it can be taxed and regulated, so we can’t ignore the economic benefits and social safety benefits of legal, taxable, regulated marijuana compared to the illegal, untaxed, unregulated, gang-controlled prohibition that we have today.
    As a nation we have the choice between either spending $20,000 a year to lock up a marijuana user or collecting sales tax on the individual’s purchase of this widely used, relatively safe product. To collect taxes from the grow-your-own community, we could consider a $100 per year permit for a dozen plants.
    It’s time to put the criminal drug dealers out of business and let ordinary Americans grow a little marijuana in their own back yards.

    Comment by Conservative Christian — March 27, 2009 @ 1:49 pm

33. It is so annoying that my right to live how I see fit is being controlled by someone else and what they think I should do. And then, when the question finally makes it up there through an overwhelming number of people’s voices the President simply mocks and dismisses the situation. I thought the whole voting system was so the people get what they want, not so the ones voted get what they want? I don’t understand why this doesn’t cause an uproar of voices demanding to be heard. This country was made to PROTECT the freedoms of the people NOT to decide which freedoms the people may keep.

    Comment by Alex Botsford — March 27, 2009 @ 1:50 pm

34. Apparently Mr. Obama is the joke!! What’s so funny about millions and millions of non-violent American citizens being arrested for marijuana possession?? Mr. President is no different than the others before him, too much “busines as usual” to make a change that would help America! I wonder how many lobbyist with vested interests in keeping marijuana illegal have gotten to the president… apparently enough!

    Comment by Brad Z — March 27, 2009 @ 2:02 pm

35. I was appalled at how Obama received this very important and serious issue. I voted for him and though I’m not ready to give up on him yet, if he does not do something to address the problem in a much more serious fashion then he will lose my vote and the votes of my supporters.

    Mr. Obama has not even managed to control the DEA yet, as evidenced by yet ANOTHER raid on a medical marijuana dispensary in SF California not even 2 weeks after the administration announced that they would no longer be targeting state regulated dispensary’s in states with compassionate use laws enacted. They claim that the facility in question violated state sales tax laws, which I am inclined to dismiss as a lie, but in the end should the DEA be enforcing sales tax laws? Is that what they’re doing over there now? I guess they had to find something to do, since, you know, nothing else they’re doing is having any effect on anything whatsoever with the exception of ruining millions of lives.

    Shame on you Obama! Shame on any elected official that is failing to carry out the will of the people. America has spoken. We want safe access for our sick and dying. We want adults to be able to make their own personal choice as to whether or not they will consume cannabis.

    Comment by Joshua A. McCracken — March 27, 2009 @ 2:10 pm

36. Please add my name to the list of those ready to have a serious and objective debate on the issue of legalization. Let’s tell the President it’s time to take this issue seriously.

    Comment by Charles Larsen — March 27, 2009 @ 2:33 pm

37. I too am disappointed that our avatar of change so casually dismissed an issue which is of great importance to so many. Legalizing and taxing cannabis may not ‘fix’ the economy, however how can you deny the revenue stream which would certainly result from taxing the biggest cash crop in the country? How can you deny the savings we would enjoy by not having to pursue, prosecute and imprison millions of people? How can you dismiss the human cost, when lives have been lost or ruined not due to the effect of the drug but rather from the legal status of those drugs? Marijuana prohibition is easily as toxic to this country as alcohol prohibition was nearly a century ago. We can change this…..yes we can!!!

    Comment by Brian Winters — March 27, 2009 @ 2:34 pm

38. I guess the one time I voted for Obama will be the last. Putting innocent people in jail is funny. The funniest part is that while blacks and whites have the same use rates for cannabis, incarceration rates are plainly racist. So, continue the tradition of racism, mock it even. So long as you can make people in DC laugh, it’s totally worth every ruined life.

    Comment by Jeremy Hull — March 27, 2009 @ 2:41 pm

39. I was an Obama supporter from the start. I am NOT a marijuana user but I have seen the toll of this failed drug war. I feel I was a fool to expect Obama to be that different from Bush. When I saw him mock his suporters on thurday at the online town hall, I felt a was watching Geroge Bush. Honymoon over for me. More of the same from our lawmakers. they don’t care what is important to us, Obama has made a huge mistake and may pay by being a one term president.

    Comment by John Scott — March 27, 2009 @ 2:48 pm

40. I am a medical user and it has given me my life back. I was taking 6-8 pain pills a day, medication to help reduce my heart irregularities, medication for my sleep disorder, and sometimes medication for major stress. I have now thrown all that away with the recommendation of my 3 doctors to try medical marijuana. Its been several months now and I feel like I have my life back.

    Then to have Obama laugh in my face about an issue that is plaguing this country is a major blow to my trust in him. How can he just blow off the Number 1 question posed BY THE PEOPLE? Isn’t he suppose to be FOR THE PEOPLE? I am upset abut him saying no but I am PISSED on how he did it. Laugh in our face and then not even give a decent answer as to why he thinks it is a bad idea. I want my vote back!

    Why in the world would he just blow off Major Tax Money that will help turn this economy around? Not to mention the saving in Law Enforcement and in the jails. My pockets are empty Mr. Pres, I can’t help you anymore. We have police forces reducing their officers because they can not afford to keep them, so our safety is going down the toilet, so why not reduce what they have to do by legalization?

    Comment by Dad who is a MM patenient — March 27, 2009 @ 2:50 pm

41. Looks like the only thing funnier than special olympics is legal marijuana.
    Make you a deal, Mr. Pres. You don’t do pot jokes, and I won’t do black jokes. Ha Ha Ha…Not That Damned Funny, Is It?

    Comment by Eddie — March 27, 2009 @ 2:54 pm

42. Can America continue to survive as a nation when our debt is constantly being bought by other countries? If people would quit trying to legislate morality and look at what this town hall meeting was originally intended for (to discuss our troubled economy) they might see that this idea would actually be a way for the U.S. to actually generate our own money and do something for ourselves instead of relying on other countries investments to save us. We have all heard the arguments in regards to this subject of marijuana, however with all of those arguments to one side, it is foolish to laugh at or discount the idea of regulation and taxation withought some real dialogue about the positive economic possibilities this could bring to our country, not to mention the savings that would come with it (incarcerations and enforcement). Hindsight is always 20/20, but when we are speaking Chinese, no longer have our own National currency and enough social and educational programs have been cut out, it will be too late. I guess will have to ask President Obama how funny it is then. Wake up America!

    Comment by Jeff — March 27, 2009 @ 3:03 pm

43. Politicians dont care about us or the country, all they care about is there careers. Everyone of them know marijuana is alot less harmful than tobacco or alcohol, they also know that if legalized we will not have a bunch of “potheads” running the streets. They know that legalizing marijuana will not have the detrimental effects on society like they say it will. Dont count on our politicians for anything, they are all bought and paid for.

    Comment by Jason — March 27, 2009 @ 3:11 pm

44. Are the people of Mexico laughing, Mr. President? Are medical users who find benefit laughing, Mr. President? Are the 800,000+ people who are arrested each year over a simple plant laughing, Mr. President? Are those who favor drug law reform and ending the waste that is taxpayer expenditure called the Drug War laughing, Mr. President?

    First he mocks special olympic athletes and now mocks a politically active contigent of the very people who put him in office under the promises of “change?” When the teleprompters are off, Mr. Obama’s brain apparently turns off as well. This is a serious issue and deserves a serious response. 90 million people in America have at least tried marijuana. I can’t believe that politicians don’t recognize this and treat them as the important votes that they are. Joke is on them indeed.

    Comment by Freedom Lover — March 27, 2009 @ 3:27 pm

45. The economic impact of legalizing marihuana is something that we can only speculate about because there is nothing certain when it comes to economy. Even though taxing pot seems logical and practical in the paper, it does not necessarily mean that it is going to work. But then again, there is not certainty that the economic plan that president Obama is implementing right now will be successful either. The thing is that Obama said he did not believe that legalizing pot would fix the economy right now and he is right. Nobody said that legalizing marihuana is the only way to fix the economy. But I believe that it would help by collecting some money that the government does not have right now through taxes. Extra cash does not hurt anyone.
    On the other hand, Obama said that he would revise those plans that are not working to do what is necessary. Well, the war on drugs is a program that is spending millions of dollars a year and it is not working at all. On top of that, they are planning to send troops to the border to contain the drug cartels that are threatening to bring their war to US territory. In case they succeed, they will contain the problem only momentarily because as soon as the drug lords are killed or jailed, a new generation of young drug lords will rise and take over the business. The market is right next door (we) and it is too big and too good to just let it go. As long as pot prohibition is in place, criminality associated to drug dealing will be in place as well. Would legalizing pot solve the problem by itself?
    Of course not, but it would help greatly and eventually the threat of having cartel Mafioso thugs operating in American soil will disappear. If pot is legal in America, the market for those guys will vanish. Just look at how Holland approached the problem of drug consumption; they decriminalized pot in order to decrease the consumption of hard drugs and they succeeded! President Obama said that he would address certain issues comprehensively and from a more rational perspective. This might be the time to address this issue more comprehensively before it gets worse.
    Finally, another very important angle is the freedom of choice that this country is supposed to grant but in fact, it does not. Thousands of people are jailed in America just for possession of marihuana and are subjected to very harsh sentences. I just watched the news on CNN and they were talking about how this judge wanted to try this “new approach” with this rapper that tried to buy dangerous weapons. He had been arrested more than 30 times with similar charges and instead of being given 20 years, this judge gave him 1. Isn’t that surrealistically Orwellian? I agree with that touch of humanity but they should be just as humane with those people prosecuted for possession. In this country you have the freedom to buy an assault rifle but you do not have the freedom to smoke pot or in other words, you do not have the freedom to consume the drug of your choice. It is either alcohol or nothing. Alcohol messes me up really badly and I do not like it. Pot instead, makes me feel a gazillion times better than alcohol but I can not smoke it because it is illegal. If millions of Americans choose the booze, I respect their choice. I would like my choice to be respected too. Let’s hope that freedom stops being an empty slogan in America and turns into a real way of life where everybody respects everybody’s choices once and for all.

    Comment by Mirko — March 27, 2009 @ 3:30 pm

46. Are the people of Mexico laughing, Mr. President? Are medical users who find benefit laughing, Mr. President? Are the 800,000+ people who are arrested each year over a simple plant laughing, Mr. President? Are those who favor drug law reform and ending the waste that is taxpayer expenditure called the Drug War laughing, Mr. President?

    First he mocks special olympic athletes and now mocks a politically active contingent of the very people who put him in office under the promises of “change?” When the teleprompters are off, Mr. Obama’s brain apparently turns off as well. This is a serious issue and deserves a serious response. 90 million people in America have at least tried marijuana. I can’t believe that politicians don’t recognize this and treat them as the important votes that they are. Joke is on them indeed.

    Comment by Freedom Lover — March 27, 2009 @ 3:31 pm

47. WOW…….What part of telling the truth does Obama find so funny? Respectfully, he is a cool -aide drinker (confirmed) Hold on America

    Legalize & tax Marijuana

    Comment by mark wachter — March 27, 2009 @ 3:33 pm

48. Please laugh only after you are able to kick your nicotine habit, Mr. Obama. Yes, it’s more addictive than cannabis and much harder to quit, isn’t it? So is alcohol. But no one is shooting each other over selling alcohol, are they?

    Comment by Freedom Lover — March 27, 2009 @ 3:33 pm

49. Wake up Washington enough is enough.Look at the DATA.

    Comment by Mike McGinty — March 27, 2009 @ 3:34 pm

50. Once again the government is afraid of the really tough questions. Is it not time we had some national conversation about the one question that time after time keeps wining these online question polls. Is it not time we are allowed to express our rights as americans and be allowed to vote for what we believe to be the best for each of us as individuals. by holding a national election on this issue once and for all we could see what the people of U.S. really want. Is it not time we reclassify marijuana to something below meth, come on does anybody really believe that marijuana is worse than herion. Is it not time that we the people stop listening to the lies that our government gives us. There is a reason why they refuse to talk about this and I for one would like to know the truth and I would also like it if the lies stop about it being the awful demon weed they make it out to be. thanks for your tme

    Comment by a.burse — March 27, 2009 @ 3:45 pm