Holder Says Legal Marijuana Won’t Make Kids Toke Up

[Logical]

Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday that just because states are legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes doesn’t mean minors will be able to roll up a joint.

“People cannot buy alcohol I guess now until you’re age… age 21, but young people find ways to get alcohol because adults can have access to it,” Holder said before the Senate Judiciary Committee. “I’m not sure that we will see the same thing here given what we have said with regard to our enforcement priorities.”

His comments came as Colorado and Washington state have been implementing new laws allowing recreational pot. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and under questioning, Holder defended the Obama administration’s stance in allowing the states to move forward with their laws while the feds work to make sure the drug doesn’t become available to minors or move across state lines.

Read more: Marijuana Legalization: Eric Holder Says Kids Won't Be Able to Toke Up | TIME.com http://swampland.time.com/2014/01/29/marijuana-legalization-holder-colorado-washington

[NightWatcher]

1. won't make kids toke up, less harmful than alcohol, legal in a few states, BUT

get caught with it in other jurisdictions and the feds will throw your ass in jail for a pocketful of weed.

Mixed messages?

[RKP5637]

2. Yep, "Mixed messages?" all the time. It should be legal and uniform across the

entire country.

[arely staircase]

3. yeah but the times are a'chaning fast

Even Rick Perry admits it is time to stop locking up pot smokers.

[1000words]

4. If the Dutch are any indication, we aren't going to be a nation of potheads

I've spent a significant amount of time in the Netherlands and know many folks in the 30-50 year age range. Nearly all of them couldn't care less about cannabis, and say most of their friends and family feel the same way. Now, alcohol on the other hand ...

[pipoman]

7. I have found

a lot of people who like to drink don't like the weed, and vice versa. The two really don't mix well..

[dionysus]

13. sure they do ;)

couple beers before guitar practice, a couple tokes during... golden!

[jaysunb]

18. + many....LOL n/t

[tridim]

21. I know lots of 30-50 year olds who smoke daily.

I don't think I've ever met a "pothead" though, they're just good people who like to relax with some herbs.

[House of Roberts]

5. If I recall correctly

most kids can get pot easier than beer, and a lot cheaper than the prices in Colorado.

[Incitatus]

11. I also found that to be the case. nt

[TheMathieu]

6. They're ripping the band-aid off slowly.

Softening the blow before reversing their stance.

[pipoman]

9. Yep, we are within a state or two

Of the inevitable announcement that pot is decriminalized at the federal level and that a new federal pot tax is going into effect.

[Logical]

14. Good point. Sudden change of attitude. n-t

[Scuba]

8. It's happening. There's a sea change going on right now.

[tridim]

17. Yep. No doubt now. The only question is when?

People are still getting arrested all over the country for something the President and his administration believe is less dangerous than alcohol. That is obviously a big problem, maybe even for the legal system.

Rescheduling is up next, get is done guys!

[TBF]

10. Keeping it illegal would make them want it more -

when I was 15 and drinking in bars (in Wisconsin) the legal age was 18 ...

This product will be legal soon, the big players will be selling it soon, and it will be taxed.

[woo me with science]

12. Watch what they do, not what they say.

Particularly during election years.

[tridim]

15. I'm thinking my "After the 2014 elections" prediction might be way off.

Holder has the power to reschedule, and I think he just might do it.

It could happen tomorrow.

[Logical]

16. No logical reason not to. The DEA chief needs to resign first. n-t

[Comrade Grumpy]

19. Rescheduling wouldn't affect legalization, but DEscheduling it would.

If Holder reschedules, it probably goes to Schedule II, along with prescription opioids and prescription meth and the like. Big whoop.

I mean, that would be nice for the medical marijuana people and would make researching it easier, but it would still be a controlled substance.

Federal legalization, either by descheduling or by act of Congress, is important, but largely symbolic. We have 48 states and DC that also have marijuana prohibition laws. They do most of the enforcement, not the feds.

[tridim]

20. Right. They wont waste time with schedule II.

They're both talking about recreational legalization.