Publications
Partners
President Barack Obama's beautiful 18-year-old daughter, Malia, spent some time with friends at a music festival recently.
She also spent some time smoking what appears to be weed, but on closer inspection, could also simply be a normal cigarette.
Many people are divided on the subject. Some took to social media to give the teen a virtual tongue lashing for being so reckless, but others have come to the teen's defence, snapping back at those who are chastising her.
Those defending Malia are saying just because she's the "first daughter", it doesn't mean she shouldn't be allowed to be a teenager and live her life.
I don't care if Malia Obama is smoking cigarettes, or smoking pot. I don't care if she's licking toads, for God's sake. Let her be a teen.
— Jeff B/DDHQ (@EsotericCD) August 10, 2016
Here's the selfie video a young woman took, with Malia in the background.
The video was initially published by RadarOnline as an exclusive. The online publication reported that the woman who took the video, Jerrdin Selwyn reported Malia was only a few feet away from her, she could smell the weed smoke and she had proof. She could identify it as weed because she's familiar with the smell herself. Selwyn also told the publication she saw a guy give Malia the cigarette, she took at least one hit and then gave it back to him.
Selwyn (pictured below) is the same young woman recording the footage.
A few people mentioned something quite valid in their Twitter posts - the concern should not be about Malia smoking, but rather the "friend" who thought it would be okay to post this video.
It's really not a big deal for Malia Obama to be smoking weed but her friends are TRASH for posting a video that shows her doing it
— Arnesa. (@arrrnesa_xx) August 10, 2016
Malia Obama got taped by her friends smoking weed at #Lollapalooza, just terrible. My advice to her is, to get herself some better friends.
— NUFF$AID (@nuffsaidNY) August 10, 2016
So...we're all gonna trip about Malia Obama smoking weed? I'm more concerned with the fact she has "friends" sharing these videos
— Clarity (@chris_ambition) August 10, 2016
But it was later discovered that Selwyn and Malia actually aren't friends. Some people on Twitter are still saying Selwyn is a snitch, who was looking for her five minutes of fame.
Meanwhile, Twitter users also took a dig at those people slamming her.
Malia Obama is out smoking weed and going to Harvard next year meanwhile y'all smoking weed and can't get out ya moms basement
— Whitley Gilbert (@Benihoho) August 10, 2016
#Malia #Obama is smoking weed? If she doesn't straighten up her act she's gonna wind up President, then she'll be sorry
— GDG (@TheOnlyGDG) August 11, 2016
Given the current situation around the election in the United States, some folks have taken it too far and made a number of scathing, racially charged remarks.
But even Meghan McCain, daughter of the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, Senator John McCain, has come to the teen's defence. She tweeted at the New York Post and their producer to leave her alone.
.@connortryan @PageSix leave Malia Obama alone!
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) August 10, 2016
This wasn't the only thing Malia was given hell for. She was also criticised for wearing a cropped boob-tube and short shorts and dancing... at a music festival.
Malia graduated from "high school" last year and took this year as a gap year. She is meant to start her studies at Harvard University, both her parents' Alma mater, next year.
