Claim: President Obama will legalize marijuana if one million people call a designated phone number.
FALSE
Examples: [Collected via e-mail, April 2009]
Comment: I got a text message this morning saying that Obama would legalize marijuana if it had
Origins: With good reason, many people are now wary that any unsolicited
placed to a designated number, is an example of such wariness
The phone number 973-409-3274 is one of many operated by Humor Hotlines, the company that offers such novelty services as the "Rejection Hotline," the "Bad Breath Notification Number," and "The Pissed Off Poet." This particular number connects callers
to the "Marijuana Legalization Endorsement Line," which plays a
As far as we have been able to ascertain, the Marijuana Legalization Endorsement Line is not a "scam" in the sense that calling it does not result in hidden or exorbitant fees being charged to the caller's bill. It isn't true that "Obama will legalize marijuana" if the number collects one million supporters, though; merely that a proposal for such will supposedly be created and presented if the phone number records one million positive responses. We note, however, that this phone poll has no more power to affect anything than any other public petition does, and there are no guarantees that the President or Congress would even see the resultant proposal, As well, President Obama does not have the authority to single-handedly legalize marijuana throughout the United States; such an act would require the overturning of a variety of state and federal laws.
Last updated: 5 May 2009