Mr. President,

I recently watched an interview at Vice News by Shane Smith where you stated that marijuana legalization was not a priority issue. Quite frankly I am appalled by your callous disregard for personal freedom. I assumed by your previous marijuana use, your statement that the war on drugs had failed, and your law degree that you might have studied the history of marijuana prohibition and discovered the false and blatantly racist reasons for the implementation of marijuana prohibition. I had also assumed that you are aware that the justification of marijuana prohibition is still based largely on exaggerated or just plain false information.

Evidence has shown that marijuana can be efficacious, both palliative and curative in the treatment of a variety of medical problems, yet the federal government continues to deny that marijuana has any medical value even though they own the patent on medical marijuana.

Marijuana has been proven far safer than the other legal recreational drugs such as alcohol and tobacco, yet marijuana users are still demonized by federal mandate with mandatory drug testing in the workplace and by grant money given to law enforcement agencies to conduct raids on our homes and businesses, and to hate organizations like Drug Free America that spew the false and misleading message that all marijuana use ruins lives. Did it ruin your life Mr. President?

We have had more than 70 years of marijuana prohibition, and the war against Americans who chose marijuana as a safer alternative to alcohol, and those that supply their needs has steadily increased over that time. We had war declared on us in the early 1970’s by Richard Nixon and each president since has chosen to escalate that war. About 14 years after the United States declared war on us, Congress and President Reagan decided that since they were at war with us, then we should be stripped of our second amendment rights. This was done without trial or representation even though there is no evidence that would show marijuana users to be more violent or dangerous than the general population.

Mr. President the war against Americans who chose marijuana is horrible and hateful. The justifications for prohibition are exaggerated if not just plain false. Any evidence that does not agree with the official government stance on marijuana is ignored. To continue to incarcerate people, take their property, and their children, or to strip them of their constitutional rights without so much as a trial and to use lethal force on us if we resist is too much for us to bear just because we are low on your priority list. Americans should not feel like the enemy of their own country. Our freedom should be just as important as other Americans. Mr. President if you are unwilling to stop this war, could we at least have a cease-fire until we can have a national conversation about marijuana.

Thank you for your time

Randy Johnson

itsmycountrytoo.org