President Obama Receives Support From Hollywood Behind Marijuana Position

In an interview with Barbara Walters, President Obama asserts that “we’ve got bigger fish to fry,” when asked about his stance on Colorado’s and Washington state’s decision to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Brad Pitt, John Legend, Russell Simmons, Danny Glover, and filmmaker Eugene Jarecki released joint statements in praise of President Obama’s stance.

Pitt, Legend, Simmons, and Glover executive produce the Jarecki directed film “The House I Live In,” an award winning documentary that urges reforms to drug laws, with particular focus on sentencing. In the joint statement, the crew commend President Obama saying that “jails are overburdened with nonviolent drug users in this country, too often serving harsher sentences than violent criminals.”

Although President Obama told Barbara Walters that marijuana legislation is not a top priority, critics point out that his administration has been aggressive towards California’ s medical marijuana industry. However, some critics say that there is some optimism in his statements that could mean his position on the issue will “evolve.”

Shanika Simmons