Carlos Santana to Obama: Legalize Pot

Costly US drug policy deserves serious look, not politics as usual

(NEWSER) - When President Obama dismissed a question recently about the legalization of marijuana, he was “taking the traditional path of least resistance,” writes Joe Klein in Time. In America, anyone who dares to speak seriously about the issue will “be cast into the outer darkness,” assumed forever to be a stoner. But the irrational policy needs to change, Klein says, for reasons “of economy and simple justice.” More»

(NEWSER) - Pro-legalization activists stuffed the ballot box with questions about marijuana when the White House solicited questions for today’s online town-hall meeting, and President Obama went out of his way to address the issue, the Los Angeles Times reports. “I don’t know what this says about the online audience,” he joked, but then got serious: “The answer is no, I don’t think that is a good strategy to grow our economy.” More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama promised to use the Internet to give Americans a greater voice in government—but in keeping that promise, he’s given America’s fringe a chance to shout at him, the New York Times reports. When the administration asked for ideas on how to make the government more transparent, it was bombarded with messages about marijuana, UFOs, and Obama’s birth certificate. More»

(NEWSER) - The government is pushing “false information” about pot, medical-marijuana advocates pushing for updated policy told a federal appeals panel yesterday. Citing a federal law that prohibits the government from spreading inaccurate information, they say there’s overwhelming evidence marijuana eases pain and anxiety among chronically ill patients, the Los Angeles Times reports. The government’s official line is that pot “has no currently acceptable medical use.” More»

(NEWSER) - On the heels of his much-publicized comments about legalizing marijuana—or not—President Obama will fire off a written response to questions from High Times, the pro-weed publication reports. “The president does not, at this time, support the legalization of marijuana,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says. “But he does recognize that many Americans are interested in the issue.” More»