Seven other marijuana-related petitions were submitted, which together garnered more than 150,000 signatures. One such petition, which called for marijuana to be regulated in a manner similar to alcohol, received almost 75,000 signatures.
However, the White House has rejected all eight petitions.
"As a former police chief, I recognize we are not going to arrest our way out of the problem," said Gil Kerlikowske, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy in the US.
"We also recognize that legalizing marijuana would not provide the answer to any of the health, social, youth education, criminal justice, and community quality of life challenges associated with drug use."
- HERALD ONLINE