Liberal comic Bill Maher praised the president for his comments that marijuana isn’t more dangerous than alcohol that were published this week in an interview with the New Yorker, but thinks he doesn’t go far enough in supporting legalization.
“I just think it shows how out of whack we are with this issue because we all applaud it when [President Barack Obama] said, ‘I don’t think pot is more dangerous than alcohol,’” Maher said Friday, quoting Obama’s interview with the New Yorker, during his HBO program “Real Time with Bill Maher.”
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“Well, not more dangerous, it’s plainly way less dangerous,” Maher continued.
Maher, who has been vocal about his use and support for the legalization of marijuana, cited statistics of those who have died from alcohol abuse and prescription drug overdoses, but added there has not been one recorded instance of “marijuana overdose.”
“If Obama really believes this, what he said, why is he still raiding dispensaries? Why is it still a Schedule I drug alongside heroin, ecstasy and acid?” Maher said.
Panelist and political editor of Business Insider Josh Barro agreed that the president could and should do more on the issue of marijuana policy.
“One that thing we’ve seen from the Obama administration, they really understand the power of presidential prerogatives to enforce law or not,” Barro said.
He noted examples of the administration delaying parts of Obamacare and taking a liberal approach to what the powers of the federal government are on gay marriage.
“Similarly, he could just tell the DEA, ‘I don’t want more raids of marijuana dispensaries, I don’t want the federal government spending resources on marijuana enforcement,’” Barro said.
“He would take political flack for that, but I think that it’s a real opportunity for him to show leadership and do something that would have hugely positive impacts all throughout the country,” he added.
Barro said another issue is the disparities in the rates of incarcerations and arrests of minorities for marijuana offenses.
“If the president really thinks it’s no worse than alcohol, doesn’t he have some moral imperative to do something?” Barro said.
Maher agreed that the president didn’t go far enough, joking that he isn’t using the influence of his office.
“They always do this, they something like that as if their next sentence should be, ‘If only I was in some sort of a position of power. I wish I could, but my hands are tied,’” Maher joked.
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