Marijuana has been making headlines lately since two states, Colorado and Washington, voted to legalize recreational marijuana. They are currently the only two states to legalize recreational marijuana. Twenty states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana. Iowa, at this time, has decided not to legalize medical marijuana even though many Iowans support legalizing the drug. Iowa is taking a cautious approach to medical marijuana. Medical marijuana has been shown to help with seizures, pain management, nausea, and improve the quality of life of people with certain medical problems. Regulating medical marijuana will keep the drug safe by overseeing the cultivation and sale of the drug and bring much-needed revenue to Iowa and other states. President Obama stated in an interview with The New Yorker magazine (Renick) “As has been well documented, I smoked pot as a child and I consider it a bad habit and a vice.” The president believes that marijuana is no more dangerous than alcohol or tobacco. The Obama administration gave states permission to experiment with regulating marijuana. The inconsistent number of arrests and incarcerations of minorities for marijuana use bothers President Obama. Users should not be locked up for long periods because they are poor and don't have the resources to hire a decent lawyer. (Chokshi) Colorado legalized the sale of recreational marijuana on January 1, 2014. Washington state will begin selling recreational marijuana by spring. California is set to introduce a statewide referendum to legalize marijuana in 2014. California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom believes weed (marijuana) should be legal in the Golden State. States are starting to... middle of paper.... ..d Sara Weisfeldt. “10 Things to Know About the Nation's First Recreational Marijuana Shops in Colorado.” CNN. Cable News Network, January 1, 2014. Web. March 15, 2014. Renick, David. "Going far." The New Yorker. The New Yorker, January 27, 2014. Web. March 3, 2014. Solomon, Christopher. “Legal weed could save the US billions.” MSNMoney. MSN, June 5, 2012. Web. March 3, 2014. Associated Press. “Colorado Adopts Hemp Growing Regulations.” - The Denver Post. Np, 02 January 2014. Web. 22 March 2014. Tislinger, Sarah. "Welcome!" Moscatina diary. Muscatine Journal, February 27, 2014. Web. March 17, 2014. Various sources. “Hemp: It Could Save America.” Hemp: It Could Save America. Np, 25 February 2004. Web. 03 March 2014 Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. “Most Iowans approve of the medical use of marijuana.” Moscatina diary. Muscatine Journal, March 22, 2014. Web. March 22. 2014.