POTUS Crushes the Marijuana Movement

When asked about where the U.S. stands on the legalization of marijuana, Obama uttered 15 words sure to send shivers down the spines of marijuana supporters:

I do not foresee, any time soon, Congress changing the law at a national basis.

President Obama's expanded commentary went as follows:

Right now, that is not federal policy, and I do not foresee, any time soon, Congress changing the law at a national basis. But I do think that if there are states that show that they are not suddenly a magnet for additional crime, that they have a strong enough public health infrastructure to push against the potential for increased addiction, then it's conceivable that it will spur on a national debate. But that is going to be some time off.

In other words, we have a reinforcement from the president that the federal government is still concerned with the potential long-term effects marijuana might have on a user in terms of its potential addictive qualities, as well as its potential to increase crime rates.

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, Facebook.

Of course, getting a straight answer on either point is tough, as there are studies suggesting either side could be correct. The Huffington Post reported in August that, according to the National Incident Based Reporting System and the FBI Uniform Crime Reports, Denver crime rates were up 7% compared to the corresponding period in 2013. Specifically, public drunkenness was up 237% and drug violations rose 20% -- all within the first year of marijuana's legalization within the state of Colorado.

MOTLEY FOOL