Sir Richard Branson went to the White House this week to attend a state dinner. It’s reported that when he got a chance to speak to President Obama he asked him if he could have a spliff (joint).
He was only joking but it was a gentle way of reminding Obama that the issue of marijuana — which the president has avoided — is an important one.
Branson told this story at the offices of The Atlanticmagazine, where he recently joined Drug Policy Alliance Executive Director Ethan Nadelmann and spoke about the need for greater momentum and political debate to end the failed drug war on Thursday at a forum organized by The Atlantic.
In the past year, Branson has stepped out as a prominent supporter of drug policy reform. His involvement with the Global Commission on Drug Policy electrified the international media and brought a new level of attention to the growing movement to end the 40-year-old war on drugs. The Global Commission is comprised of Branson, former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, former Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Paul Volcker, the former heads of state of Brazil, Colombia, Greece, Mexico and Switzerland, and several other distinguished world leaders.
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