Four minutes is an eternity on live television when you're not sure how to say what you're thinking. But it is barely an opening when you're certain there's plenty to discuss. This week, I experienced both, which is why I'm circling back now to fill in the gap between what I said and what I didn't when Chris Cuomo interviewed me on CNN.

First, for the record: Among journalists, Cuomo gets it better than most when it comes to reporting about people under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, especially those who are addicted. He's interviewed me about the sad follies of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and the overdose death of Whitney Houston. He interviewed me for the first time in 2006, when my memoirs were published. Cuomo's commitment to my issues has helped many people who need help.

Both of us came to the studio set ready to make our points through back-and-forth questions and answers about President Barack Obama's statement that marijuana is no more dangerous than alcohol. When the interview was over four minutes later, I felt frustratingly suspended in animation — like the time I was a kid and my homemade rocket fired with a roar, only to get stuck at the top of the launchpad until the engine burned out and the craft slid back to ground zero, mission unaccomplished.

"The only bad publicity is no publicity," some advertising maven or politician once said. And judging from the proliferation of responses con and pro, it was good PR that thousands of people heard what I had to say, even though I sensed I'd hit a double while swinging for the fences. Not quite so bad as the rocket failure. Back then, I cried in front of a bunch of fellow rocketeers, who thought it was funny my rocket didn't go anywhere.

Now let me reiterate while clarifying what I told Cuomo:

—Whether marijuana is no more dangerous than alcohol, as the president claims, isn't really the point. And it isn't a justification to legalize marijuana as many believe his comments implied.

—What President Obama didn't say is as important as what he did. He did not condone the use of marijuana and didn't say it is without risks or consequences.

—Just because many people use alcohol or marijuana in moderation does not mean everyone can or will. It is a fact that marijuana, like alcohol and all other drugs, generates a buzz that can lead to serious health, legal, family and other problems, including addiction. For the record, marijuana can be a "gateway" drug to a dependency; all addicts and alcoholics start with something that opens the door or ignites the fire, and for some like me, it is marijuana. Case closed.

—The failure of the "war on drugs" is not a reason to legalize marijuana, especially considering that alcohol, which is the most used and abused drug in America, already takes a staggering toll on the nation. Why add another mood- and mind-altering substance to the mix when we've not had the political will or societal muscle to deal with the consequences of drinking too much?

—If the goal is to shift public attitudes about marijuana as a drug that should be decriminalized or even legalized, society as a whole should be prepared to shift public policy to meet the increased problems caused by a wider availability and use of it. This will require a seismic reallocation of resources away from tough law enforcement and interdiction to prevention, treatment and recovery support services. Short of a public health approach to substance use and addiction, the status quo will only get worse if marijuana is easier to get and use.

The other day, CNN got me to and from the studio in Minneapolis with a limo. But now I realize a teleprompter is really what I needed, because the points I just made here would have come out and fit perfectly into the four minutes, which ended up being long enough to leave me hanging but not enough time to make my points.

William Moyers is the vice president of public affairs and community relations for the Hazelden Foundation and the author of "Broken," his best-selling memoirs, and "Now What? An Insider's Guide to Addiction and Recovery." Please send your questions to William Moyers at [email protected]. To find out more about William Moyers and read his past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.