(Newser) – Rand Paul is no fan of marijuana, but today he blasted American laws that stick nonviolent criminals such as potheads in jail for "37, 50, 45 years," calling them "a huge mistake" that have the effect of ruining lives over the harmless indiscretions of youth. Case in point? The current inhabitant of the Oval Office, and his predecessor: "Look, the last two presidents could have conceivably been put in jail for their drug use and I really think it would've ruined their lives," Paul said today on Fox News Sunday, according to Politico. "They got lucky." Joked host Chris Wallace, "Actually, I think it would be the last three presidents, but who's counting?"

“I don't want to promote (marijuana), but I also don't want to put people in jail who make a mistake," Paul said. "There are a lot of young people who do this and then later on in their 20s they grow up and get married and they quit doing things like this. I don't want to put them in jail and ruin their lives." (Read more Rand Paul stories.)

