# Why isn't marijuana a bigger part of the Presidential Debate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 20, 2016, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615 "2016-02-20T06:22:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/21 "2016-02-21T14:10:10Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > There is simply not enough DEA resources to shut down marijuana operations in any state that has legalized it. That’s why there has been no crackdown. There has been no crackdown because Obama and his DoJ have deliberately refrained from one. Federal resources are not unlimited, but they are huge, and the choices about where and how to extend them are kind of why it matters who is running executive departments. DEA wouldn’t have to arrest _every_ state-legal weed operator to deliver an enormous chilling effect. They would just need to instill a reasonable concern in many of them, that they could be next. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/22 "2016-02-21T14:11:43Z")
> [@5\_time\_champ](#): > > I dunno, maybe Jeb?? should have tried campaigning stoned, he probably would not have done any worse. It hasn’t played well for Carson. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/23 "2016-02-21T15:58:20Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > There has been no crackdown because Obama and his DoJ have deliberately refrained from one. > > Federal resources are not unlimited, but they are huge, and the choices about where and how to extend them are kind of why it matters who is running executive departments. > > DEA wouldn’t have to arrest _every_ state-legal weed operator to deliver an enormous chilling effect. They would just need to instill a reasonable concern in many of them, that they could be next. No. This is mostly just magical thinking. The federal government fears that if it did try to enforce its laws that it would be a laughingstock, and widespread civil disobedience would tarnish its aura of omnipotence. Not a good thing for a government. ---
**Author:** ![zwede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ac91a4/32.png) [@zwede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwede)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/24 "2016-02-21T16:55:08Z")
I find it interesting that the republican candidates talk a lot about states rights when it comes to banning abortion and discriminate against gays, but states rights are irrelevant when it comes to legal pot. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/25 "2016-02-21T17:18:37Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > No. This is mostly just magical thinking. The federal government fears that if it did try to enforce its laws that it would be a laughingstock, and widespread civil disobedience would tarnish its aura of omnipotence. Not a good thing for a government. I don’t know what world you live in, in which the federal government has an “aura of omnipotence.” ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/26 "2016-02-21T20:35:32Z")
The DEA could stop people from operating storefronts with giant neon pot leaves in the window, but without cooperation from local law enforcement, they don’t have anywhere near the budget or manpower to bust all the street dealers that would spring up like dandelions in the event of a federal crackdown. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/27 "2016-02-21T20:49:55Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > The DEA could stop people from operating storefronts with giant neon pot leaves in the window, but without cooperation from local law enforcement, they don’t have anywhere near the budget or manpower to bust all the street dealers that would spring up like dandelions in the event of a federal crackdown. There’s no way to stop street dealers even in states where there is co-operation from local law enforcement. Obvoiusly many people continue to buy, sell and use drugs in states where its illegal on the local level. But the point of legalization is to be able to do so in a relatively safe and legitimate feeling environment, without the risk of arrest. The DEA is more than capable of cracking down to the extent where this becomes impossible, even without help from local law enforcement. Also, note that generally, DEA actions in states like CA generally have had local law enforcement support. Without a state law, CA local authorities can’t go it alone, but they can still help federal authorites. And since legalization laws are genereally unpopular amongst a lot of local law enforcement, they’re often more than willing to do so. > [@will](#): > > There is simply not enough DEA resources to shut down marijuana operations in any state that has legalized it. That’s why there has been no crackdown. Both the Bush and Obama admin cracked down on Medical marijuana dispensaries in California. Here’s a [random example](http://kmph-kfre.com/archive/californias-federal-marijuana-crackdown-underway), but you can google for hundreds of others. I don’t think the people arrested feel like the Feds are a laughing-stock, in any case. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/28 "2016-02-21T21:21:32Z")
Maybe it’s because there simply aren’t as many people who want marijuana to be legal as you’d like to believe there are. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/29 "2016-02-21T21:29:48Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Maybe it’s because there simply aren’t as many people who want marijuana to be legal as you’d like to believe there are. You’d like to [think that.](http://www.gallup.com/poll/186260/back-legal-marijuana.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/30 "2016-02-21T21:43:25Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > You’d like to [think that.](http://www.gallup.com/poll/186260/back-legal-marijuana.aspx) And what percentage of those people _vote_? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/31 "2016-02-21T21:55:59Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > And what percentage of those people _vote_? Oh, so now you’re going only by voters? And in case you didn’t notice, a few states have made it legal, many states allow medical use and Obama is allowing states to handle it themselves. And that’s all due to _voters._ ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/32 "2016-02-21T22:02:28Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Oh, so now you’re going only by voters? Isn’t that what we _usually_ go by in a democracy? > [@](#): > > And in case you didn’t notice, a few states have made it legal, many states allow medical use None of those states have the constitutional authority to do that, though, which means that > [@](#): > > and Obama is allowing states to handle it themselves. Will cease to be of relevance after the end of the year. > [@](#): > > And that’s all due to _voters._ Then let them elect Congressmen who will change the law - which, if legalization is as popular as you assert it is, they will inevitably do. It’s not the president’s role to decide what drugs are legal. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/33 "2016-02-21T22:08:32Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Then let them elect Congressmen who will change the law - which, if legalization is as popular as you assert it is, they will inevitably do. It’s not the president’s role to decide what drugs are legal. He never decided what was legal. He decided not to enforce those particular laws. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/34 "2016-02-21T22:15:32Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > He never decided what was legal. He decided not to enforce those particular laws. Which it is within his authority to do. However, in the event that his successor feels differently on the matter, the net result is that all the people who were openly violating federal law for eight years will have been living on borrowed time and are going to have a lot to answer for. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/35 "2016-02-21T22:50:00Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > You’d like to [think that.](http://www.gallup.com/poll/186260/back-legal-marijuana.aspx) I’m not surprised that a significant percentage are in favor of legalization, but I submit my opinion that they probably don’t feel very strongly about it. I think the reason it isn’t a big deal on the presidential debate agenda is simply that, in the great scheme of things, **nobody cares**. Not really. For most of us, there are just more important things to worry about. > [@Smapti](#): > > … However, in the event that his successor feels differently on the matter, the net result is that all the people who were openly violating federal law for eight years will have been living on borrowed time and are going to have a lot to answer for. Yes, that’s a real and different issue. It’s unbelievable that in the 21st century marijuana could be categorized as a Schedule 1 narcotic, a designation that goes back to the 1930s and [a crusading idiot named Harry Anslinger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_J._Anslinger#The_campaign_against_marijuana_1930.E2.80.931937). That requires immediate remediation, but unfortunately in the public mindset it’s inextricably linked with the legalization issue. It should be federally decriminalized and then the states can do what they want. Nobody needs Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio playing a modern-day Harry Anslinger. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/36 "2016-02-22T02:09:49Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > And what percentage of those people _vote_? > [@running\_coach](#): > > Oh, so now you’re going only by voters? Fun Fact: The latest vote-suppression scheme is to make the polls impossible to locate by attaching them to goalposts. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/37 "2016-02-22T05:06:23Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Is the legal stuff even fun? I mean, when I was a young-un half the fun was that it was illegal. 🙂 Yeah, this. I think the adults have grown-up stuff to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615/38 "2016-02-22T05:20:00Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Yeah, this. I think the adults have grown-up stuff to worry about. Like drinking? I think there’s pretty overwhelming evidence that a sizable number of adults are happy to indulge (and overindulge) in legal, recreational drugs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-marijuana-a-bigger-part-of-the-presidential-debate/746615.md?page=1)