The Obama administration said Tuesday that it "firmly opposes" the legalization of any illicit drugs as California voters head to the polls to consider legalizing marijuana this fall.
The president and his drug czar re-emphasized their opposition to legalizing drugs in the first release of its National Drug Control Strategy this morning.
"Keeping drugs illegal reduces their availability and lessens willingness to use them," the document, prepared by Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske, says. "That is why this Administration firmly opposes the legalization of marijuana or any other illicit drug."
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A SurveyUSA poll released late last month showed that 56 percent of Californians favor legalization, while 42 percent are opposed, and three percent are unsure. (The poll, confuted April 20th, has a 4.4 percent margin of error.) A Field Poll released April 30th showed similar margins of support.Kerlikowske has refused to speculate on how the administration would respond if marijuana were legalized in the state, putting it in conflict with federal prohibitions on the drug
This one will be interesting to watch as it unfolds.
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