Nearly two years after the first online town hall for President Obama was held, constituents are weighing in with their questions for the upcoming town hall scheduled for January 26, 2011. Just like the earlier online town hall, the most popular questions are all about legalizing cannabis (whether for industrial uses, such as hemp, or medical marijuana, or more commonly, all-out legalization). One of the questions is the the one many of us have been asking, voiced in a variety of ways:
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| Why did you dismiss the #1 question submitted for your last SOTU interview, in regards to the legalization/ decriminalization of marijuana? Do you not realize that the American people want you to at least take a stance? |
or another way of asking it:
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| Why does the US Government continue to ignore its citizens regarding Marijuana reform? |
Another terrific question posed, which reflects an alternate way of looking at the question of marijuana legalization, is:
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| How has the United State’s people benefited from the prohibition of marijuana? |
L.E.A.P. (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) posted a video question, which has 5,577 thumbs up as of the time of this writing (and 304 thumbs down):
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| As a police officer, I saw how waging the war on drugs has cost a trillion dollars and thousands of lives but does nothing to reduce drug use. Should we discuss legalizing marijuana and other drugs, which would eliminate the violent criminal market? |
The questions go on and on. When sorting the list by “most popular,” I went through pages and pages without finding a single question that was NOT about marijuana. I lost count somewhere around 30 pages (with 5 questions per page) of the “most popular” questions – and every question is about marijuana or hemp. But will Obama take it seriously this time? I won’t be holding my breath…
More similar questions, on industrial hemp:
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| I do not understand why farmers are not allowed to grow industrial hemp in our country. Hemp is an amazing fiber that has thousands of uses. Wouldn’t legalizing industrial hemp be profitable for our country, both economically and environmentally?Another terrific question posed, which reflects an alternate way of looking at the question of marijuana legalization, is: |
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| How has the United State’s people benefited from the prohibition of marijuana? |
L.E.A.P. (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) posted a video question, which has 5,577 thumbs up as of the time of this writing (and 304 thumbs down):
Quote:
| As a police officer, I saw how waging the war on drugs has cost a trillion dollars and thousands of lives but does nothing to reduce drug use. Should we discuss legalizing marijuana and other drugs, which would eliminate the violent criminal market? |
The questions go on and on. When sorting the list by “most popular,” I went through pages and pages without finding a single question that was NOT about marijuana. I lost count somewhere around 30 pages (with 5 questions per page) of the “most popular” questions – and every question is about marijuana or hemp. But will Obama take it seriously this time? I won’t be holding my breath…
More similar questions, on industrial hemp:
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| I do not understand why farmers are not allowed to grow industrial hemp in our country. Hemp is an amazing fiber that has thousands of uses. Wouldn’t legalizing industrial hemp be profitable for our country, both economically and environmentally? |
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| President Obama why does your administration continue to oppose American farmers growing industrial hemp. Governments in Canada, France and China allow their farmers to prosper from industrial hemp cultivation, why not American farmers? |
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| With much of the rust-belt and rural areas struggling to keep food on the table, and the country moving towards green energy, why has the government not tried to embrace industrial hemp as a green initiative to help farmers and the help the earth? |
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| If there was a plant available to mankind that would feed the world, clothe the world, shelter the world and bring the world top-notch medicine would you be against it? It appears that you are and I wonder why? Cannabis does it all. Research this pls |
On cutting the DEA, reducing the prison population and budget shortfall issues:
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| Have you considered cutting the DEA budget by up to 75 percent for the next 10 years in order kill off our national debit problem. We do not need to spend 800 per hour (CNN Report) eradicating Marijuana plants and the such just legalize it. |
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| President Obama, with America holding 25% of the world’s prison population, the budget of states shrinking, and the amount of debt accumulated on a national level, I ask you, will you support a civil and rational approach to ending the war on drugs? |
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| Are we free if we have the highest prison rate on the planet, + more than 3/4 million annual arrests for pot? Can’t we recognize the many reputable studies that show cannabis’ safety and benefits? Isn’t the “War on Drugs” a culture war on people? |
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| Without the war on cannabis, all other illegal drugs combined can’t justify DEA and law enforcement drug interdiction/enforcement budgets. When will our tax dollars stop being wasted on pursuing innocent people who are not committing violent crimes? |
On job-creation and economic issues:
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| Why are you not pursuing the legalization/decriminalization of marijuana on a federal level when it is proven Mr. President that it would be a positive source of revenue for our dying economy and a positive source of safe treatment for the ill? |
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| We have the opportunity to create tens of thousands of taxpaying jobs in the U.S. by making the production and sale of marijuana legal. Given that marijuana is objectively less harmful than alcohol, why are you opposed to such a change in the law? |
On Constitutional grounds:
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| Drug laws are a state issue. The Constitution doesn’t give the federal government permission to create drug prohibition agencies like the DEA. Research shows drug laws are causing more harm than good. What is your opinion on this matter? |
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| What are the key differences between the alcohol prohibition of the 18th amendment (and the Volstead Act) and the current prohibition on marijuana which made the former a bad idea, but make the latter a good idea? I look forward to your response. |
On the safety of society and our youth:
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| Despite nearly 76 years of national marijuana prohibition it is easier for today’s teens to get marijuana than it is to get alcohol. Why not legalize and impose a similar structure of regulations and ID requirements for the purchase of marijuana? |
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| Why not legalize cannabis on a federal level? It could increase tax revenue for our government, take us out of this economic debt like alcohol did. On top of that it will put dealers out of business and protect youth. |
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| Why must the prohibition of marijuana persist when it’s clear that the war on drugs is a detriment to society? |
The questions go on and on. But is President Obama listening? Find out during the online townhall on January 27, 2011.
News Hawk: MedicalNeed 420 MAGAZINE
Source: examiner.com
Author: Jennifer Alexander
Contact: Contact | Examiner.com
Copyright: Clarity Digital Group LLC d/b/a Examiner.com.
Website:Most popular online issue is marijuana, will Obama respond seriously this time?
