Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States of America, has always been a supporter of legalizing marijuana. During his presidency, he made several comments regarding the issue, and even took some steps towards decriminalizing it.
Early Years
Barack Obama's stance on marijuana can be traced back to his early years. In his memoir, "Dreams from My Father," he wrote about smoking pot during his teenage years and in college. He also admitted to using cocaine, but said that he didn't enjoy it as much as he did smoking marijuana.
Campaigning for Presidency
During his campaign for presidency, Obama promised to take a different approach to marijuana than previous presidents. He said that he would not use federal resources to go after people who were using marijuana for medicinal purposes, and that he would leave the decision of whether or not to legalize it up to the states.
First Term in Office
During his first term in office, Obama made several comments regarding marijuana. In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine in 2012, he said that he believed that marijuana was no more dangerous than alcohol, and that he didn't think it was a top priority for law enforcement to go after people who were using it in states where it was legal.
Second Term in Office
During his second term in office, Obama took some steps towards decriminalizing marijuana. In 2013, his administration issued a memo to federal prosecutors, instructing them to focus on more serious crimes and not to waste resources going after people who were using marijuana for medicinal purposes in states where it was legal.
Then, in 2014, he signed the Farm Bill, which included a provision that allowed universities and state departments of agriculture to grow industrial hemp for research purposes. This was a significant step towards legalizing hemp, which is a strain of the cannabis plant that has many industrial uses.
Conclusion
Barack Obama's stance on marijuana has been consistent throughout his life and presidency. He believes that it is no more dangerous than alcohol and that it should be left up to the states to decide whether or not to legalize it. He took some steps towards decriminalizing it during his presidency, but it is still illegal under federal law. However, his comments and actions have helped to shift public opinion on the issue, and many states have now legalized it for both medicinal and recreational use.