Pubdate: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 Source: Columbus Dispatch (OH) Copyright: 2015 The Columbus Dispatch Contact: http://www.dispatch.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/93 OBAMA TO YOUTHS: FOCUS NOT ON THE POT WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has a stern message for the younger generation about their political priorities: Care more about climate change and less about marijuana. Obama, who has been open about smoking pot in high school, chided an interviewer from Vice News who suggested that, if marijuana were legalized, young people would view that as a top item when considering the president's legacy. "First of all, it shouldn't be young people's biggest priority," Obama said in the interview, posted at news.vice.com. "Young people: I understand this is important to you, but as you are thinking about climate change, the economy and jobs, war and peace, maybe way at the bottom you should be thinking about marijuana," he said. Obama has long said he supports decriminalizing marijuana but not legalizing the drug. He has called for reform of the criminal-justice system for disproportionately incarcerating African-Americans for nonviolent drug offenses. The Justice Department under Obama has taken a handsoff approach to enforcing a federal ban on marijuana use in states such as Colorado, Washington and Alaska, where recreational marijuana use is allowed. But Obama said concerns about substance abuse and marijuana are real. "There is a legitimate, I think, concern about the overall effect this has on society, particularly on vulnerable parts of our society," he said. REUTERS - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom