Carlos Santana Tells Obama to Legalize Pot
- Posted on Apr 3rd 2009 5:00PM by John D. Luerssen
- Comments (203)
Well, it's not quite 4/20, but why not? Carlos Santana is calling for President Obama to make pot legal. During a junket to promote his upcoming residency at Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, the legendary guitarist asked the president to give it serious consideration."Legalize marijuana and take all that money and invest it in teachers and in education," Santana told the Huffington Post. "You will see a transformation in America."
Santana said making weed legal is "really way overdue, like the prohibition with the alcohol and stuff like that," adding, "I really believe that as soon as we legalize and decriminalize marijuana we can actually afford a really good governor who won't keep taking money away from education and from teachers and send him back to Hollywood where he can do 'D' movies and we can get an 'A' governor." Santana was, of course, referring to former movie action hero and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Santana's remarks were in response to a question about legalization that were raised to Obama during his online town hall on March 26. At the time Obama fielded a question about whether legalization of the illicit drug would help pull the nation out of recession. Obama said he didn't think it was good economic policy, and also joked: "I don't know what this says about the online audience."
Reader Comments(1 of 11)
BRiTNEYat 4-03-2009
Ain't gonna happen, he'd be killed.
campdwnat 4-03-2009
goodangel63, shouldn't you change your name to satan666?
campdwnat 4-03-2009
goodangel63 shouldn't your name be satan666? typical conservative way of doing anything. Kill everyone!!!!
murphliftermax55at 4-03-2009
get with it. booze and cigs are legal
Pot should have been legalized 30 years ago
tsgkingat 4-04-2009
Some of you need to set down your bag of cheetos or whatever it is you turn to to satisfy your munchies and come to reality. Legalizing marijauna is going to do two things. One, a vast number of people, especially teens, are doing pot to thumb their nose at societys' rules of law. Make it legal and they will turn to something harder to continue that "living on the edge" lifestyle. And legalization is also going to seriously interfere with the street drug trade; dealers would then be in competition with retailers. What are they going to do then? Their not all going to suddenly rush out and find legitimate work. They'll have to turn to something stronger, something still illegal to keep up their profits, and with people moving to new illicit drugs that shouldn't be too hard. Then what? Will we legalize heroin at that point? Meth? The legalization issue is a slippery slope and people pushing for it better be aware of the repercussions.
Edat 4-05-2009
Yes, the financial benefits to our economy would increase by legalizing pot. The usage would probably increase because it would be cheaper. Pot clubs and bars would spring up also benefiting the economy.
The problem is that many in the population would turn to it and use it more than those are currently. Just like there are a certain percentage of alcoholics, there would be more mariholics than currently. Wasted people laying around high all day long.
On the other hand the police and legal system wouldn't have to be tied up dealing with a soft drug that hasn't shown much evidence of leading to criminal behavior or violent behavior.
Then you have to also look at the health issues. Are heavy marijuana users going to damage their lungs with the smoke?
Its more complicated than just saying legalize it. I don't smoke it but many of my friends do and they are productive professionals. They just use it after work and in small amounts. I havn't seen a big change in their work ethic, again they are adults not teenagers.
pweggeman1at 4-03-2009
you bet it will, such a joke that its "illegal" when statistics say 20 million americans use or have used pot. alcohol is much worse as a whole and its legal!!!
angusjhat 4-03-2009
How can we get people to listen? This is Jobs, new tax revenue, it could only help our country, they won't even listen, too busy getting drunk which is fine.
spikeritzat 4-03-2009
With a Socialist nut in the Whitehouse what would anyone expect. All the liberals, dopers, queer lovers and Hollywood assholes..... It only makes sense.
dimples0822at 4-04-2009
queer lovers?I am not the most PC but now you're being an ass.What does that have to do with pot anyway?
janicew6060at 4-04-2009
HEY ASS GET ASS GET A LIFE!!!!!
concept59at 4-03-2009
Right on, carlos!!!! Weed is good, booze is bad...
barbkay37at 4-03-2009
Legalize marijuana to help education. You have got to be kidding me! What a freakin' joke! Think about that (if you're not stoned on pot). Kids in school trying to learn while they are high. Teachers trying to teach and get through to our teenagers while the teenagers are high in the classroom. And oh yes . . . what about the mind altaring affects it would have on their driving to and from school. That suggestion obviously comes from someone who's brain cells are fried from smoking too much pot! What a freakin' LOSER!!!!!!!!!!!!
Marciaat 4-03-2009
I don't think that anyone would think that children in school would have access to marijuana. I think that your comments are completely unfounded. Alcohol is legal in this country if you are 21 or over. I would assume that anyone considering the legalization of marijuana would set a similar age restriction for its purchase. I do not feel that it is fair to judge people for their ideas and feelings. Personally I think that calling someone a loser only shows your lack of maturity in dealing with this situation.
Boboat 4-03-2009
He, and people are not saying to have kids smoke pot while in school. Instead of insecuringly labeling a man as a loser, why not think deeper about what he is talking about, you can TAX!!!!!!!! the sale of something and the revenue goes towards state mandated facilities, i.e. EDUCATION. I do not think people realize what hypocrates they are being when they want to have beers with their christian buddies, but want to outlaw, marijunana, I believe in Genesis it states that god gives all the seed bearing plants and herbs for humans to USE. Seriously people, grow up and grow a f#@%ing brain. It's not about your traditional beliefs based behind fear, it's about realizing how to use anything towards our advantage. Marijuana is not Evil, just like guns and hookers are not evil, it's only how we use those items that detemines if WE are evil people, or good people.
singermetqat 4-03-2009
you wish you could be as famous as carlos santana,i really dont think his brain is fried, its creeps like you who ruin society....
TEDDY Qat 4-03-2009
Dude you are the biggest loser I have seen on these post yet you are rebuting something you know nothing about check the states that are allready legalized do they sell to kids dumbass... No They (the gov) also inforces it like Alchol you cant drink and drive so you cant smoke and drive. If you are going to argue about something you might want to do the smart thing and research it first and stop running your mouth about things that are to big for you to handle.
patat 4-03-2009
Santana, I love your music, but you got to be kidding! I thought you were smarter than that. You are smoking way too much!!
imag328at 4-03-2009
uhhhhmmm wow your a very one dimensional thinker let alone a very irrational one. Legalization of pot doesn't spell a world ridden with stoned zombies. There will still be rules and regulations. Minors can't drink, can they? Teacher's can't go to school drunk, can they? Nor can they drive drunk? Come on now.....Plus legalization would spell LESS crime because there would be less drug dealers (police would be able to crack down on trafficking and stop focusing on the law-abiding "potheads") and thus, reducing drug-trade related crimes, while keeping drugs out of the hands of your children (if you have any) and into the hands of the responsible users of age. Get your mind out of the reefer madness era.
sara26111at 4-03-2009
ganja is natural... and alchol is not. drunk drivers kill an kill an kill ... but i don't care that alcohol is legal, i believe ganja should be as well. it might make everyone feel happy and things may be more chill than crazy.... legalize