Obama was asked about marijuana legalization while in Jamaica, and here's how he responded

On Obama's recent trip to Jamaica, he was predictably asked about marijuana policy, and gave a thorough, but not overly direct response. He mentions that he doesn't see a federal change happening very soon, but some of the most important parts of his response admit that the war on drugs has had too heavy of an ephasis on incarceration, and that he thinks we could have a "smarter approach than we currently do".

“I am a very strong believer that the path that we have taken in the United States in the so-called ‘War on Drugs’ has been so heavy in emphasizing incarceration that it has been counterproductive,” he said.

Instead of offering his own view on legalization, he passed the buck to other folks in Washington.

“I do not foresee, any time soon, Congress changing the law at a national basis,” he said.