President Obama talks about marijuana — a lot. But his latest forays into the legalization debate show that the president is still more comfortable discussing the idea than actually using his office to dramatically change policy.
The president rekindled the hopes of pot enthusiasts this week when he signaled his support for medical marijuana, with supporters predicting the lame-duck Obama was perhaps floating a trial balloon for a larger push to overhaul how the government deals with the drug.
“I think carefully prescribed medical use of marijuana may in fact be appropriate and we should follow the science as opposed to ideology on this issue,” he told CNN.
Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia now allow marijuana use in some form.
Obama, who used marijuana routinely as a teenager, has suggested that weed is no more dangerous than alcohol. And he has called incarceration for recreational pot use a vestige of the outdated war on drugs.
Pointing to the incremental acceptance of marijuana in broader society — along with a similar shift in the libertarian-leaning wing of the Republican Party — some see plenty of political cover for Obama to add pot to his list of legacy-defining items.
The White House, however, said Obama is in no hurry to push for Congress to pass new laws on marijuana or to use executive action to address the issue.
“Honestly, I can tell you that’s not on the president’s agenda right now,” a senior administration official told the Washington Examiner. “Like many people, I think the president views what some states are doing [on marijuana] with interest, as an experiment. But no, nothing is in the works.”
Still, those most actively involved in pushing for legalization aren’t convinced that Obama will stay idle.
Though Obama seems reluctant to legalize pot, advocates insist that he could at least remove marijuana from its classification as a dangerous narcotic — a so-called schedule 1 controlled substance.
And marijuana legalization organizations Tuesday highlighted the expected resignation of Drug Enforcement Administration chief Michele Leonhart to press Obama to take a fresh look at pot.
“This vacancy is an opportunity for President Obama to nominate somebody who recognizes and respects the war on drugs — particularly when it comes to marijuana — is winding down,” said the group, Marijuana Majority. “Hopefully he’ll pick somebody who is prepared to at least support rescheduling marijuana to a more scientifically appropriate category.”
It seems that the issue follows Obama wherever he goes.
In Jamaica earlier this month, the president was pressed on whether he would consider legalizing marijuana.
“I do not foresee anytime soon Congress changing the law at a national basis…that is going to be some time off,” he told the disappointed audience member. “I have to tell you that it’s not a silver bullet, because, first of all, if you are legalizing marijuana, then how do you deal with other drugs, and where do you draw the line?”
Another likely blow for those seeking changes is that Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch, expected to be confirmed by the Senate this week, is more skeptical of marijuana than Obama.
“Not only do I not support legalization of marijuana, it is not the position of the Department of Justice currently to support legalization, nor would it be the position if I were confirmed as attorney general,” she said during her confirmation hearing.
Yet, some Democrats say Obama — and possibly Hillary Clinton — could benefit from attempting to legalize pot in 2016 in much the same way he did by evolving on same-sex marriage in 2012. Despite repeated assurances that he was against same-sex matrimony, Obama changed his position at a time when it was more politically palatable to do so.
The progressive base overwhelmingly backs legalization.
And a poll released by CBS News on Monday found that 53 percent of Americans say marijuana should be legal, an all-time high in their survey. Forty-three percent of respondents said it should not be legal.
However, the legalization of weed is dicey for Obama in that it could inspire fierce opposition, potentially mobilizing Republican voters most wary of such a move.
Some Republicans, such as Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, have framed the debate as a states-rights issue, but such thinking is not yet the mainstream position within the GOP.
And those ardently opposed to legalizing marijuana say they don’t see Obama as all that invested in the issue.
“I don’t think he gets anything by being the pot president. I don’t think it’s helpful for his legacy,” argued Kevin Sabet, president of Project SAM, an anti-pot-legalization group. “He’s been very clear about not wanting to see corporate-style legalization. I think he’s very wary of it. I think he looks at legalization with a healthy dose of skepticism.”
