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Jeff Sessions
- Thread starter Vicki
- Start date
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- Tags
- jeff sessions mmj law mmj news
- Status
Baron23
Well-Known Member
Well, the little shithead has certainly mobilized the opposition...everyone from states righters like Rand Paul to liberals like Sanders.
Ole El Jeffe may have done the country a favor by no longer allowing the ridiculous ambiguity that has hovered over the nation on this topic now for years. Its now time to fish or cut bait, one way or the other. Not much choice after Sessions idiotic move here.
If your representative has not reacted in opposition to Sessions recent announcement, you need to as them WHY THE FUCK NOT!!
Ole El Jeffe may have done the country a favor by no longer allowing the ridiculous ambiguity that has hovered over the nation on this topic now for years. Its now time to fish or cut bait, one way or the other. Not much choice after Sessions idiotic move here.
If your representative has not reacted in opposition to Sessions recent announcement, you need to as them WHY THE FUCK NOT!!
Last edited:
BD9
Leaf Dawg
While I agree with you on your points, (I am a far left liberal) this point ^^^ is the most relevant. One senator who is a Democrat has rebuffed me many times on MMJ, while my Republican senator has been more open to MMJ.
Also, in my state legislature, there are an equal number of MMJ bills from both sides. Odd...
I think this ^^^^ is very important. I understand the sensitivity of the subject and understand some may feel they'll be put on a 'list' and targeted by law enforcement; it's not true.
I have been very, very, I mean annoyingly vocal to both Democrat and Republican representatives have not had any trouble. "WHEW!"
We need to use our voices. And vote. I mean we need to get out and vote.
Or at the very least contact them. Here is a link to find out who your rep is. I just fired off an email to mine. No response yet.
Baron23
Well-Known Member
The text of Jeff Sessions’ memo to rescind Obama-era marijuana policies, and the DOJ statement
By The Cannabist Staff
United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a memo Thursday morning to all United States Attorneys, that he is changing federal enforcement policy effective immediately.
Earlier Thursday, the Associated Press reported from sources that anticipated this memo.
The Department of Justice issued a statement regarding the memo:
The Department of Justice today issued a memo on federal marijuana enforcement policy announcing a return to the rule of law and the rescission of previous guidance documents. Since the passage of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in 1970, Congress has generally prohibited the cultivation, distribution, and possession of marijuana.
In the memorandum, Attorney General Jeff Sessions directs all U.S. Attorneys to enforce the laws enacted by Congress and to follow well-established principles when pursuing prosecutions related to marijuana activities. This return to the rule of law is also a return of trust and local control to federal prosecutors who know where and how to deploy Justice Department resources most effectively to reduce violent crime, stem the tide of the drug crisis, and dismantle criminal gangs.
“It is the mission of the Department of Justice to enforce the laws of the United States, and the previous issuance of guidance undermines the rule of law and the ability of our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners to carry out this mission,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “Therefore, today’s memo on federal marijuana enforcement simply directs all U.S. Attorneys to use previously established prosecutorial principles that provide them all the necessary tools to disrupt criminal organizations, tackle the growing drug crisis, and thwart violent crime across our country.”
NOTE: copy of memo can be seen here:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4343707-Sessions-Marijuana-Memo-Jan-4-2018.html
Baron23
Well-Known Member
Some more political comments on Sessions recent move:
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, whose state also responded to Sessions saying his letter to them was based on flawed data released a statement:
“Trump promised to let states set their own marijuana policies. Now he’s breaking that promise so Jeff Sessions can pursue his extremist anti-marijuana crusade. Once again the Trump administration is doubling down on protecting states’ rights only when they believe the state is right. Opening the door to go after legal marijuana businesses ignores the will of the majority of Americans and marks yet another socially unjust and economically backward scheme from this administration. Any budget deal Congress considers in the coming days must build on current law to prevent the federal government from intruding in state-legal, voter-supported decisions.”
“Trump promised to let states set their own marijuana policies. Now he’s breaking that promise so Jeff Sessions can pursue his extremist anti-marijuana crusade. Once again the Trump administration is doubling down on protecting states’ rights only when they believe the state is right. Opening the door to go after legal marijuana businesses ignores the will of the majority of Americans and marks yet another socially unjust and economically backward scheme from this administration. Any budget deal Congress considers in the coming days must build on current law to prevent the federal government from intruding in state-legal, voter-supported decisions.”
The Mayor of Tallahassee and candidate for governor of Florida, Andrew Gillum said Sessions’ goal is to “put more young people & (sic) people of color behind bars for using a plant.”
Sal Pace, Pueblo County Commissioner & former Colorado House Democratic Leader issued a statement:
“Any move by the DOJ to reverse cannabis legalization enacted by citizens across the country will be opposed vigorously by a bipartisan national coalition of local elected officials. A reversal of the sovereign voice of the American public is an assault on the intellect of Americans, an assault on the fundamental tenants of democracy, and an attack on the Constitutional guarantee of states’ rights. That is why I am bringing together local elected officials across the country to demand that Congress act immediately to protect the voice of their constituents and allow states to determine their own fate. The American public has spoken loud and clear that states should have the right to determine their own fate on cannabis.
The same 165,000 residents who elected me, voted for Donald Trump and voted in favor of the legalization of marijuana. The citizens from this Trump backing county do not want this economic engine shut down, sending thousands of people to the unemployment line and costing our County government millions in tax revenues.”
Colorado Rep. Ed Perlmutter said in his statement that “Congress needs to take matters into its own hands”:
“Today’s decision by Attorney General Sessions rolls back the progress we’ve made to balance the laws of Colorado with the priorities of federal law enforcement. The Cole memo provided assurances to states like Colorado with marijuana use and a strict regulatory structure in place by allowing these states to proceed according to the will of their voters. While it did not relieve all uncertainty, especially for financial institutions, it was a step forward. Today’s announcement creates even greater uncertainty in the industry and shows a lack of respect for states’ rights.
“Congress needs to take matters into its own hands. I have been urging Congress to act on this issue since 2013, and I once again call on my colleagues to act immediately starting with passing my SAFE Banking Act which allows legitimate marijuana businesses access to banking services. Fixing the banking system will ensure a strong regulated environment for marijuana sales and continue to curtail the black market. We’ve come too far to backtrack on this issue now. It’s time to find a real solution that will keep our communities safe and respect the will of voters in the majority of states in our country.”
Sal Pace, Pueblo County Commissioner & former Colorado House Democratic Leader issued a statement:
“Any move by the DOJ to reverse cannabis legalization enacted by citizens across the country will be opposed vigorously by a bipartisan national coalition of local elected officials. A reversal of the sovereign voice of the American public is an assault on the intellect of Americans, an assault on the fundamental tenants of democracy, and an attack on the Constitutional guarantee of states’ rights. That is why I am bringing together local elected officials across the country to demand that Congress act immediately to protect the voice of their constituents and allow states to determine their own fate. The American public has spoken loud and clear that states should have the right to determine their own fate on cannabis.
The same 165,000 residents who elected me, voted for Donald Trump and voted in favor of the legalization of marijuana. The citizens from this Trump backing county do not want this economic engine shut down, sending thousands of people to the unemployment line and costing our County government millions in tax revenues.”
Colorado Rep. Ed Perlmutter said in his statement that “Congress needs to take matters into its own hands”:
“Today’s decision by Attorney General Sessions rolls back the progress we’ve made to balance the laws of Colorado with the priorities of federal law enforcement. The Cole memo provided assurances to states like Colorado with marijuana use and a strict regulatory structure in place by allowing these states to proceed according to the will of their voters. While it did not relieve all uncertainty, especially for financial institutions, it was a step forward. Today’s announcement creates even greater uncertainty in the industry and shows a lack of respect for states’ rights.
“Congress needs to take matters into its own hands. I have been urging Congress to act on this issue since 2013, and I once again call on my colleagues to act immediately starting with passing my SAFE Banking Act which allows legitimate marijuana businesses access to banking services. Fixing the banking system will ensure a strong regulated environment for marijuana sales and continue to curtail the black market. We’ve come too far to backtrack on this issue now. It’s time to find a real solution that will keep our communities safe and respect the will of voters in the majority of states in our country.”
BD9
Leaf Dawg
For those that don't believe their vote matters, I give you Virginia;
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politi...ed-house-race-by-drawing-a-name-out-of-a-bowl
Its outcome was determined by pulling the candidate’s name out of a ceramic bowl Thursday.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politi...ed-house-race-by-drawing-a-name-out-of-a-bowl
Its outcome was determined by pulling the candidate’s name out of a ceramic bowl Thursday.
Cuckfumbustion
Lo and Behold! The transformative power of Vapor.
Not even a month a ago I remember Sessions mention the Cole memo. I think he is retaliating against CA and the tipping point it caused. 
GOP Reps. Mark Meadows, Jim Jordan call on Sessions to resign - CNNPolitics
Freedom Caucus leaders call for Sessions to step down - POLITICO
Top conservatives want Jeff Sessions to step down - Axios
Seattle mayor press conference to condemn Trump Administration after Jeff Sessions marijuana announcement today - live stream - CBS News
GOP Reps. Mark Meadows, Jim Jordan call on Sessions to resign - CNNPolitics
Freedom Caucus leaders call for Sessions to step down - POLITICO
Top conservatives want Jeff Sessions to step down - Axios
Seattle mayor press conference to condemn Trump Administration after Jeff Sessions marijuana announcement today - live stream - CBS News
Baron23
Well-Known Member
Trump administration must battle public opinion, economics in attack on marijuana
By Christopher Ingraham, The Washington Post
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Thursday the repeal of Obama-era rules that set a federal policy of noninterference with state-legal marijuana businesses, setting up a potential clash between the federal government and state authorities backing an increasingly entrenched and popular industry.
Currently, eight states plus the District of Columbia have voted to legalize marijuana within their borders. The change in policy would allow U.S. attorneys in those jurisdictions to pursue prosecutions against state-legal marijuana growers, sellers and even users.
Under federal law, marijuana remains a Schedule 1 controlled substance, akin to heroin. But during President Barack Obama’s administration, the Department of Justice pursued a policy of noninterference with state-legal marijuana markets provided the states take reasonable steps to prevent underage use and keep pot from flowing across state borders, among other conditions.
Rolling back that policy is likely to cause political headaches for the Trump administration given the widespread public support for legalization, the economic clout of the marijuana industry and the supporters legal marijuana businesses have won over in Congress.
An October Gallup poll, for instance, found a record-high 64 percent of Americans saying they supported marijuana legalization.
That number included, for the first time, a majority (51 percent) of Republicans saying they supported legalization.
Support for legalization is particularly robust among the young voters whom Democrats are trying to mobilize for the 2018 congressional elections. An April CBS News poll found that over three-quarters of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 support legalization.
Regardless of their stance on legalization, an overwhelming majority of voters of all political persuasions say that the federal government should not interfere with state-level legalization efforts. A July Quinnipiac poll found that 75 percent of Americans, including 59 percent of Republicans, said that they oppose the enforcement of federal marijuana laws in states that have legalized it.
Beyond public opinion, the burgeoning marijuana industry has become a potent economic force in the states where it has a foothold. Marijuana Business Daily, an industry trade publication, estimated last year that legal marijuana employed between 165,000 and 230,000 workers, or between two and three times as many people as the coal mining industry.
Last year a market research firm for the marijuana industry, Arcview Research, estimated that it generated $6.7 billion in revenue in 2016, and projected sales to climb to $21 billion by 2021.
Those sales are generating significant tax revenue in states with legal recreational pot. In Colorado, for instance, marijuana sales between 2014 and 2017 brought in roughly $500 million in taxes, roughly half of which has gone to the state’s public school system. Washington state collected about $280 million in marijuana taxes in fiscal year 2017, with half of that money going to fund health-care services for people without insurance coverage.
Those jobs, sales and taxes could all be put in jeopardy by the Jan. 4 Justice Department move. Lawmakers from both parties are already crying foul.
“Going against the majority of Americans – including a majority of Republican voters – who want the federal government to stay out of the way is perhaps one of the stupidest decisions the attorney general has made,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., in a statement. “It’s time for anyone who cares about this issue to mobilize and push back strongly against this decision.”
Republican Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado wrote on Twitter that “the Justice Department has trampled on the will of the voters in CO and other states. … I am prepared to take all steps necessary, including holding DOJ nominees, until the Attorney General lives up to the commitment he made to me prior to his confirmation.”
Related:“This is outrageous”: Politicians react to news that A.G. Sessions is rescinding the Cole Memo
By Christopher Ingraham, The Washington Post
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Thursday the repeal of Obama-era rules that set a federal policy of noninterference with state-legal marijuana businesses, setting up a potential clash between the federal government and state authorities backing an increasingly entrenched and popular industry.
Currently, eight states plus the District of Columbia have voted to legalize marijuana within their borders. The change in policy would allow U.S. attorneys in those jurisdictions to pursue prosecutions against state-legal marijuana growers, sellers and even users.
Under federal law, marijuana remains a Schedule 1 controlled substance, akin to heroin. But during President Barack Obama’s administration, the Department of Justice pursued a policy of noninterference with state-legal marijuana markets provided the states take reasonable steps to prevent underage use and keep pot from flowing across state borders, among other conditions.
Rolling back that policy is likely to cause political headaches for the Trump administration given the widespread public support for legalization, the economic clout of the marijuana industry and the supporters legal marijuana businesses have won over in Congress.
An October Gallup poll, for instance, found a record-high 64 percent of Americans saying they supported marijuana legalization.
That number included, for the first time, a majority (51 percent) of Republicans saying they supported legalization.
Support for legalization is particularly robust among the young voters whom Democrats are trying to mobilize for the 2018 congressional elections. An April CBS News poll found that over three-quarters of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 support legalization.
Regardless of their stance on legalization, an overwhelming majority of voters of all political persuasions say that the federal government should not interfere with state-level legalization efforts. A July Quinnipiac poll found that 75 percent of Americans, including 59 percent of Republicans, said that they oppose the enforcement of federal marijuana laws in states that have legalized it.
Beyond public opinion, the burgeoning marijuana industry has become a potent economic force in the states where it has a foothold. Marijuana Business Daily, an industry trade publication, estimated last year that legal marijuana employed between 165,000 and 230,000 workers, or between two and three times as many people as the coal mining industry.
Last year a market research firm for the marijuana industry, Arcview Research, estimated that it generated $6.7 billion in revenue in 2016, and projected sales to climb to $21 billion by 2021.
Those sales are generating significant tax revenue in states with legal recreational pot. In Colorado, for instance, marijuana sales between 2014 and 2017 brought in roughly $500 million in taxes, roughly half of which has gone to the state’s public school system. Washington state collected about $280 million in marijuana taxes in fiscal year 2017, with half of that money going to fund health-care services for people without insurance coverage.
Those jobs, sales and taxes could all be put in jeopardy by the Jan. 4 Justice Department move. Lawmakers from both parties are already crying foul.
“Going against the majority of Americans – including a majority of Republican voters – who want the federal government to stay out of the way is perhaps one of the stupidest decisions the attorney general has made,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., in a statement. “It’s time for anyone who cares about this issue to mobilize and push back strongly against this decision.”
Republican Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado wrote on Twitter that “the Justice Department has trampled on the will of the voters in CO and other states. … I am prepared to take all steps necessary, including holding DOJ nominees, until the Attorney General lives up to the commitment he made to me prior to his confirmation.”
Related:“This is outrageous”: Politicians react to news that A.G. Sessions is rescinding the Cole Memo
Baron23
Well-Known Member
Here you go, NORML auto-letter writing facility with sample letter to your representatives about Sessions' latest move on the Cole Memo. Do it, DO IT, DO IT NOW! LOL
http://norml.org/action-center/item...ncy-alert-jeff-sessions-is-ready-to-crackdown
http://norml.org/action-center/item...ncy-alert-jeff-sessions-is-ready-to-crackdown
Vicki
Herbal Alchemist
It’s so busy, the webpage won’t load!
Baron23
Well-Known Member
And here is sample letter and sending facility on the subject to Trump via the Marijuana Policy Project
http://action.mpp.org/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=23874
http://action.mpp.org/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=23874
Baron23
Well-Known Member
Yeah, but when I let it sit there and cook for a bit it finally loaded and didn't time out. Might want to give that a try but yes, I think a LOT of outraged citizens are using this facility.
Hope these asshat politicians are buried in constituent complaints over this.
Baron23
Well-Known Member
Interesting summary showing legalization status in the country and current polling data on same. THIS is why ole' Jeffey Sessions is going to get his ass kicked from this move, IMO. Love Gardner (Sen, CO (R)) who basically is saying that Sessions lied to him pre-confirmation hearing and that he intends to put a hold on every fucking DOJ nomination and Senatorial Hold is indeed a thing and he can indeed do it.
Marijuana legalization by the numbers
Washington (CNN)Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that he is rolling back Obama-era guidelines that stopped the federal government from enforcing its anti-marijuana laws in states that have marijuana-friendly laws, CNN reported Thursday.
The change, depending on how it is administered, could affect states that have legalized marijuana for recreational or medical use — and would go against strong public opinion backing federal deference to state rules.
Federal law says marijuana is illegal, but a majority of states -- 29 -- have passed law legalizing or decriminalizing its use for medical reasons. Fewer states have made it legal for recreational purposes, although with California's official legalization of recreational marijuana in the new year, Sessions' move could set up a legal showdown between the federal government and the largest and richest US state.
Green = Recreational
Orange = Medical
Yellow = Medical CBD
Eight states — Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon and Washington — plus the District of Columbia allow recreational sales of marijuana. Another 22 states allow only medical marijuana and 15 allow a lesser medical marijuana extract.
Five years ago, recreational marijuana wasn't legal anywhere in the United States.
A broad 64% of Americans say they support the legalization of marijuana, according to a Gallup poll in October — the highest mark in more than four decades of polling.
The poll shows legalization has support from 72% of Democrats — up from 61% over the last three years — and even a slim majority, 51%, of Republicans — up from just 34% in the same time span.
Medical marijuana, for its part, has nearly universal support in the United States, according to an August poll from Quinnipiac University. An overwhelming 94% of adults — including 96% of independents, 95% of Democrats and 90% of Republicans — support it.
A broad three in four Americans, 75%, say they oppose enforcing federal laws against marijuana in states that have legalized medical or recreational use of the drug, according to the same poll. Republicans are most likely to back enforcing federal laws anyway — but that number is still just one in three.
The latest numbers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse show that 44% of Americans over the age of 12 have used marijuana at least once in their lifetime. A majority, 52%, of people ages 18 to 25 have used it in their lifeline, including 33% in just the last 12 months.
Legal pot has grown to a $6.6 billion industry, with seven in 10 dollars going for medical marijuana and three in 10 going for recreational marijuana. The overall industry has been projected to quadruple over the next decade, according to New Frontier Data, a research company that analyzes the marijuana industry.
Marijuana legalization by the numbers
Washington (CNN)Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that he is rolling back Obama-era guidelines that stopped the federal government from enforcing its anti-marijuana laws in states that have marijuana-friendly laws, CNN reported Thursday.
The change, depending on how it is administered, could affect states that have legalized marijuana for recreational or medical use — and would go against strong public opinion backing federal deference to state rules.
Federal law says marijuana is illegal, but a majority of states -- 29 -- have passed law legalizing or decriminalizing its use for medical reasons. Fewer states have made it legal for recreational purposes, although with California's official legalization of recreational marijuana in the new year, Sessions' move could set up a legal showdown between the federal government and the largest and richest US state.
Green = Recreational
Orange = Medical
Yellow = Medical CBD
Eight states — Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon and Washington — plus the District of Columbia allow recreational sales of marijuana. Another 22 states allow only medical marijuana and 15 allow a lesser medical marijuana extract.
Five years ago, recreational marijuana wasn't legal anywhere in the United States.
A broad 64% of Americans say they support the legalization of marijuana, according to a Gallup poll in October — the highest mark in more than four decades of polling.
The poll shows legalization has support from 72% of Democrats — up from 61% over the last three years — and even a slim majority, 51%, of Republicans — up from just 34% in the same time span.
Medical marijuana, for its part, has nearly universal support in the United States, according to an August poll from Quinnipiac University. An overwhelming 94% of adults — including 96% of independents, 95% of Democrats and 90% of Republicans — support it.
A broad three in four Americans, 75%, say they oppose enforcing federal laws against marijuana in states that have legalized medical or recreational use of the drug, according to the same poll. Republicans are most likely to back enforcing federal laws anyway — but that number is still just one in three.
The latest numbers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse show that 44% of Americans over the age of 12 have used marijuana at least once in their lifetime. A majority, 52%, of people ages 18 to 25 have used it in their lifeline, including 33% in just the last 12 months.
Legal pot has grown to a $6.6 billion industry, with seven in 10 dollars going for medical marijuana and three in 10 going for recreational marijuana. The overall industry has been projected to quadruple over the next decade, according to New Frontier Data, a research company that analyzes the marijuana industry.
Baron23
Well-Known Member
This is interesting (well, to me at least). Some of this is quoted in above posts, some new. All of the below belong to the Rep party.
What Republicans are saying about Jeff Sessions’s war on marijuana
From WaPo
The Justice Department announced a rule change Thursday that would pave the way for federal prosecutions of state-legal marijuana growers, sellers and users.
Any federal crackdown on marijuana would face strong pushback: Voters strongly support legal pot, and the industry generates $6.7 billion in annual sales and employs up to 230,000 workers.
While Congress has lagged far behind the public on questions of marijuana policy, numbers like the ones above have won many lawmakers over to reformers' side. Democratic lawmakers have harshly criticized the Justice Department's move, but more surprisingly a number of Republican lawmakers have weighed in with sharp criticism as well.
We have collected responses from Republican Senators, Representatives and Governors below. (If you see more, let us know.)
U.S. Senators
Cory Gardner (Colo.)
“This reported action directly contradicts what Attorney General Sessions told me prior to his confirmation. With no prior notice to Congress, the Justice Department has trampled on the will of the voters in CO and other states.
“I am prepared to take all steps necessary, including holding DOJ nominees, until the Attorney General lives up to the commitment he made to me prior to his confirmation.”
Dean Heller (Nev.)
“Knowing Attorney General Sessions' deference to states' rights, I strongly encourage the DOJ to meet with Governor Sandoval and Attorney General Laxalt to discuss the implications of changes to federal marijuana enforcement policy. I also urge the DOJ to work with the congressional delegations from states like Nevada that have legalized marijuana as they review and navigate the new policy.”
Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)
“Over the past year I repeatedly discouraged Attorney General Sessions from taking this action and asked that he work with the states and Congress if he feels changes are necessary. Today's announcement is disruptive to state regulatory regimes and regrettable.”
Rand Paul (Ky.)
“I continue to believe that this is a states’ rights issue, and the federal government has better things to focus on.”
U.S. Representatives
Mike Coffman (Colo.)
“Attorney General Sessions needs to read the Commerce Clause found in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution that limits the power of the federal government to regulate interstate and not intrastate commerce. The decision that was made to legalize marijuana in Colorado was made by the voters of Colorado and only applies within the boundaries of our state. Colorado had every right to legalize marijuana and I will do everything I can to protect that right against the power of an overreaching federal government.”
Matt Gaetz (Fla.)
“Dear @jeffsessions — Prosecute Hillary Clinton, not medical marijuana businesses and patients!”
Thomas Garrett (Va.)
“My bill, HR 1227 would deregulate marijuana policy by removing federal oversight and empowering the 50 States . . . It has been around for a year now. Congress is TRYING to 'do something.'”
Dana Rohrabacher (Calif.)
“The attorney general of the United States has just delivered an extravagant holiday gift to the drug cartels. By attacking the will of the American people, who overwhelmingly favor marijuana legalization, Jeff Sessions has shown a preference for allowing all commerce in marijuana to take place in the black market, which will inevitably bring the spike in violence he mistakenly attributes to marijuana itself. He is doing the bidding of an out-of-date law enforcement establishment that wants to wage a perpetual weed war and seize private citizens’ property in order to finance its backward ambitions.”
Governors
Charlie Baker (Mass.)
“The Baker-Polito administration fully supports the will of the voters and the [Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission]'s mission. The administration believes this is the wrong decision and will review any potential impacts from any policy changes by the local U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Brian Sandoval (Nev.)
“I believe Nevada's marijuana industry is a model for other states. My staff and I will review the memo that was released this morning and our state options. I look forward to the appointment of the new Nevada United States Attorney and further guidance that will be provided by the Department of Justice.
What Republicans are saying about Jeff Sessions’s war on marijuana
From WaPo
The Justice Department announced a rule change Thursday that would pave the way for federal prosecutions of state-legal marijuana growers, sellers and users.
Any federal crackdown on marijuana would face strong pushback: Voters strongly support legal pot, and the industry generates $6.7 billion in annual sales and employs up to 230,000 workers.
While Congress has lagged far behind the public on questions of marijuana policy, numbers like the ones above have won many lawmakers over to reformers' side. Democratic lawmakers have harshly criticized the Justice Department's move, but more surprisingly a number of Republican lawmakers have weighed in with sharp criticism as well.
We have collected responses from Republican Senators, Representatives and Governors below. (If you see more, let us know.)
U.S. Senators
Cory Gardner (Colo.)
“This reported action directly contradicts what Attorney General Sessions told me prior to his confirmation. With no prior notice to Congress, the Justice Department has trampled on the will of the voters in CO and other states.
“I am prepared to take all steps necessary, including holding DOJ nominees, until the Attorney General lives up to the commitment he made to me prior to his confirmation.”
Dean Heller (Nev.)
“Knowing Attorney General Sessions' deference to states' rights, I strongly encourage the DOJ to meet with Governor Sandoval and Attorney General Laxalt to discuss the implications of changes to federal marijuana enforcement policy. I also urge the DOJ to work with the congressional delegations from states like Nevada that have legalized marijuana as they review and navigate the new policy.”
Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)
“Over the past year I repeatedly discouraged Attorney General Sessions from taking this action and asked that he work with the states and Congress if he feels changes are necessary. Today's announcement is disruptive to state regulatory regimes and regrettable.”
Rand Paul (Ky.)
“I continue to believe that this is a states’ rights issue, and the federal government has better things to focus on.”
U.S. Representatives
Mike Coffman (Colo.)
“Attorney General Sessions needs to read the Commerce Clause found in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution that limits the power of the federal government to regulate interstate and not intrastate commerce. The decision that was made to legalize marijuana in Colorado was made by the voters of Colorado and only applies within the boundaries of our state. Colorado had every right to legalize marijuana and I will do everything I can to protect that right against the power of an overreaching federal government.”
Matt Gaetz (Fla.)
“Dear @jeffsessions — Prosecute Hillary Clinton, not medical marijuana businesses and patients!”
Thomas Garrett (Va.)
“My bill, HR 1227 would deregulate marijuana policy by removing federal oversight and empowering the 50 States . . . It has been around for a year now. Congress is TRYING to 'do something.'”
Dana Rohrabacher (Calif.)
“The attorney general of the United States has just delivered an extravagant holiday gift to the drug cartels. By attacking the will of the American people, who overwhelmingly favor marijuana legalization, Jeff Sessions has shown a preference for allowing all commerce in marijuana to take place in the black market, which will inevitably bring the spike in violence he mistakenly attributes to marijuana itself. He is doing the bidding of an out-of-date law enforcement establishment that wants to wage a perpetual weed war and seize private citizens’ property in order to finance its backward ambitions.”
Governors
Charlie Baker (Mass.)
“The Baker-Polito administration fully supports the will of the voters and the [Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission]'s mission. The administration believes this is the wrong decision and will review any potential impacts from any policy changes by the local U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Brian Sandoval (Nev.)
“I believe Nevada's marijuana industry is a model for other states. My staff and I will review the memo that was released this morning and our state options. I look forward to the appointment of the new Nevada United States Attorney and further guidance that will be provided by the Department of Justice.
Baron23
Well-Known Member
What now? Experts weigh in on potential impact of Sessions’ rollback of marijuana policy
“With no guidance, it basically takes the dog off of the leash," says cannabis lawyer Bob Hoban
By Alicia Wallace, The Cannabist Staff
Days after California became the largest U.S. state to initiate regulated sales of cannabis to adults, a wave of uncertainty has crashed over America’s cannabis industry with the Justice Department’s elimination of Obama-era guidance on marijuana enforcement.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ move Thursday to rescind the Cole Memo and related guidance on marijuana has the potential to upend cannabis operations that have, from Day One, operated in a vulnerable limbo between federal illegality and state legality, policy experts say.
Whether the attorney general’s actions will spell doomsday for the burgeoning cannabis industry remains to be seen. At the very least, the lack of formal guidance could stymie growth, industry observes told The Cannabist.
“I don’t think that the attorney general is doing this for window dressing,” said John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and an author and expert on marijuana policy. “I think this is an area of policy that he considers dangerous, that he considers problematic, and that he wants something done about.”
Related stories
- “Extremely misguided”: Cannabis industry and policy groups weigh in on news of DOJ guideline shift
- Trump administration must battle public opinion, economics in attack on marijuana
- Cannabis stocks plunge on news that Sessions is shifting marijuana policy
- The text of Jeff Sessions’ memo to rescind Obama-era marijuana policies, and the DOJ statement
- “This is outrageous”: Politicians react to news that A.G. Sessions is rescinding the Cole Memo
The result of Sessions move is a policy void, said Bob Hoban, managing partner at Denver-based Hoban Law Group, which specializes in cannabis legal matters. It’s the effective turning back of the clock to the Bush era policy of no guidance.
“With no guidance, it basically takes the dog off of the leash,” he said.
The enforcement onus is now placed on the cadre of U.S. Attorneys operating across America, financial institutions, as well as members of Congress, Hudak and Hoban say.
Although state-authorized medical marijuana operations have some protections baked into federal law — the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer provision restricts Justice Department spending on prosecutions — adult-use programs have no such safety net.
“(The removal of the Cole Memo and related guidance) does empower U.S. Attorneys to start going after the adult-use cannabis industry,” Hudak said. “It creates uncertainty for businesses and investors.”
As such, the public statements issued and actions taken by U.S. Attorneys should be the most telling of all, said Robert Mikos, a federalism and drug law expert at Vanderbilt University.
It remains to be seen what those prosecutors would do with that discretion, Mikos said, adding that those offices have the same resource constraints today as they did yesterday. Some may choose to take an aggressive stance, while others may not.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a sea-change by itself,” he said.
Related: Politicians react to news that A.G. Sessions is rescinding the Cole Memo
One of the first indications came out of Colorado, the first state to have legal, regulated sales of adult-use marijuana.
U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer, for the District of Colorado, released the following statement:
“Today the Attorney General rescinded the Cole Memo on marijuana prosecutions, and directed that federal marijuana prosecution decisions be governed by the same principles that have long governed all of our prosecution decisions. The United States Attorney’s Office in Colorado has already been guided by these principles in marijuana prosecutions — focusing in particular on identifying and prosecuting those who create the greatest safety threats to our communities around the state. We will, consistent with the Attorney General’s latest guidance, continue to take this approach in all of our work with our law enforcement partners throughout Colorado.”
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, echoing statements from the state’s lawmakers, chastised the removal of the existing guidance and indicated his approach, too, would not change.
“Thirty states comprising more than two thirds of the American people have legalized marijuana in some form. The Cole memo got it right and was foundational in guiding states’ efforts to regulate the production and distribution of marijuana,” Hickenlooper said in a statement. “Colorado has created a comprehensive regulatory system committed to supporting the will of our voters. We constantly evaluate and seek to strengthen our approach to regulation and enforcement.
“Our focus will continue to be the public health and public safety of our citizens. We are expanding efforts to eliminate the black market and keep marijuana out of the hands of minors and criminals. Today’s decision does not alter the strength of our resolve in those areas, nor does it change my constitutional responsibilities.”
Mikos’ read of Thursday’s Sessions memo was fairly measured. In particular, he made note of Sessions’ statements on Justice Department enforcement priorities already in existence.
“That sort of signals to me that maybe he’s not complementing an actual crackdown,” he said.
Baron23
Well-Known Member
Former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, a SAM Honorary Advisor stated, “The Cole Memo had been waved around by money-hungry pot executives for years, searching for legitimacy among investors and banks. It’s time we put public health over profits. This is a sensible move that now must be followed up with action so we can avoid a repeat of the nightmare of Big Tobacco.”
So, let's talk about Pat Kennedy...the Democrat...the fuck wit tbh. He has admitted to being addicted to coke in his earlier years, admitted he was strung out on Oxycontin om 2006. Also in 2006 he was drunk and wrecked his car at the Capital.
And I need a lecture from this shit head about what is and is not a sensible move? No way....he is generalizing his failures with substance abuse (and different substances than the one he is advocating against) and advocating that his views, formed by his failures, be imposed on the rest of us.
Is there no end to the narcissism of our entitle fucking elitist political class?
“Extremely misguided”: Cannabis industry and policy groups weigh in on news of DOJ guideline shift
By The Cannabist Staff
In response to news that U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ is ending an Obama-era policy that allowed for marijuana legalization to spread in U.S. states, several policy and industry organizations spoke out, with concern and caution, and one in support of Sessions’ action.
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)’s Executive Director Erik Altieri said in a statement: “By rescinding the Cole Memo, Jeff Sessions is acting on his warped desire to return America to the failed beliefs of the ‘Just Say No’ and Reefer Madness eras. This action flies in the face of sensible public policy and broad public opinion. The American people overwhelmingly support the legalization of marijuana and oppose federal intervention in state marijuana laws by an even wider margin. This move by the Attorney General will prove not just to be a disaster from a policy perspective, but from a political one. The American people will not just sit idly by while he upends all the progress that has been made in dialing back the mass incarceration fueled by marijuana arrests and destabilizes an industry that is now responsible for over 150,000 jobs. Ending our disgraceful war on marijuana is the will of the people and the Trump Administration can expect severe backlash for opposing it”.
National Cannabis Industry Association Executive Director Aaron Smith stated:
This news from the Department of Justice is disturbing, especially in light of the fact that 73% of voters oppose federal interference with state cannabis laws. But, the rescinding of this memo does not necessarily mean that any major change in enforcement policy is on the horizon. This has been, and still will be, a matter of prosecutorial discretion. We therefore hope that Department of Justice officials, including U.S. Attorneys, will continue to uphold President Trump’s campaign promise to not interfere with state cannabis programs, which have been overwhelmingly successful in undercutting the criminal market.
In addition to safely regulating the production and sale of cannabis, state-based cannabis programs have created tens of thousands of jobs and generated more than a billion dollars in state and local tax revenue to date. Any significant change in federal enforcement policy will result in higher unemployment and will take funds away from education and other beneficial programs. Those revenues will instead go back to drug cartels and other criminal actors.
The Marijuana Policy Project’s interim executive director Matthew Schweich issued a statement saying:
“This extremely misguided action will enable a federal crackdown on states’ rights with regard to marijuana policy. Attorney General Sessions has decided to use the power of the federal government to attack the ability of states to decide their own laws. A majority of Americans support legalization, and Sessions has simply decided to ignore their views. In the states where marijuana is legal, voters approved those legalization policies at the ballot box. This is a direct attack on the will of the people.”
“This decision may very well lead to federal agents raiding licensed, regulated, and tax-paying businesses — these businesses are employing thousands of Americans and generating hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue for public services including substance abuse treatment programs and new school construction. MPP will be pushing Congress to pass legislation this year that establishes marijuana policy as a states’ rights issue and prevents federal interference.”
Related stories
“While we are encouraged by the White House’s overall commitment to criminal justice reform, we are disappointed by the Attorney General’s decision to undermine the 10th Amendment, which gives states the right to enact and enforce their own laws. Many states are reforming their criminal justice systems for the better, and when it comes to marijuana laws, we agree with President Trump that it’s ‘up to the states.’
“At a time when our prisons are wildly overcrowded and taxpayers are forced to spend hundreds of billions of dollars each year to fund a failed War on Drugs, we believe it’s time for a new, smarter approach to drug policy that is sensible and truly makes our neighborhoods safe. Instead of prosecuting non-violent individuals for an act that has already been legalized in half a dozen states and decriminalized in several others, this administration should work with Congress to reform our outdated federal sentencing laws, which ruin lives, tear apart families and communities, and place a massive burden on hardworking taxpayers.”
The New Federalism Fund, an organization “interested in state-first regulation of state-based commerce and creating a common sense regulatory system for those who are in or serve the state-based cannabis industry” said in their statement:
“The state regulated and legal cannabis industry has created tens of thousands of jobs, more than a billion dollars in tax revenue, and has taken market share from foreign criminal enterprises. We have also seen statistically significant declines in opioid overdose deaths in the states that have decided to opt out of federal cannabis prohibition,” said Neal Levine, Chairman of the New Federalism Fund. “Going after the state legal and regulated cannabis industry would not only damage the economies and undermine public safety in the states that have opted out of federal cannabis prohibition, it would also export all of our legal cannabis jobs to Canada and other countries. That will not make America great again. It would be a tremendous mistake, and a violation of the core principles of Federalism, for the federal government to interfere with the states and shift all of those jobs and revenues back to drug cartels and other criminal actors.”
“The Cole Memo has always been a statement of prioritization. The memo itself states quite clearly that it ‘does not alter in any way the Department’s authority to enforce federal law, including federal laws related to marijuana, regardless of state law.’ Although Attorney General Session’s Justice Department has decided to rescind the Cole memo, it remains to be seen whether the actions of the Department will change in any significant way. Our hope is that the Administration will continue to follow the principles of Federalism and the sentiment of President Donald Trump, who said in 2016 that marijuana policy ‘should be up to the states, absolutely.’ Attorney General Sessions and the DOJ should allow the states to continue to be the laboratories of democracy and lead on the cannabis issue. And it is time for Congress to get off the policy sidelines and enact changes to the Controlled Substances Act so that states have the unfettered leeway to fully implement their marijuana regulatory efforts. Regulation works better than prohibition.”
Drug Policy Alliance executive director Maria McFarland Sánchez-Moreno stated: “Jeff Sessions’ obsession with marijuana prohibition defies logic, threatens successful state-level reforms, and flies in the face of widespread public support for legalization. It’s now time for Congress to put the brakes on Sessions’ destructive agenda by limiting the Justice Department’s ability to undermine states’ decisionmaking.”
Human Rights Watch, an NGO dedicated to human rights issues expressed their concern with a statement from U.S. Program director Jasmine Tyler: “As California joins the growing number of states moving to tax and regulate marijuana, Attorney General Jeff Sessions continues to show just how out of touch he is with scientists and taxpayers by deciding today to instead let federal prosecutors where pot is legal decide how aggressively to enforce federal marijuana law. This will no doubt spike arrests and fuel mass incarceration, largely for people of color, but this Administration has been clear from their campaign promises of harsh policies that trample rights that this day would eventually come to pass. The war on drugs, whether it went away or just slowed down, is now back.”
Anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) released a statement from their director, Kevin A. Sabet, who said, “This is a good day for public health. The days of safe harbor for multi-million dollar pot investments are over. DOJ’s move will slow down the rise of Big Marijuana and stop the massive infusion of money going to fund pot candies, cookies, ice creams, and other kid-friendly pot edibles. Investor, banker, funder beware.”
Former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, a SAM Honorary Advisor stated, “The Cole Memo had been waved around by money-hungry pot executives for years, searching for legitimacy among investors and banks. It’s time we put public health over profits. This is a sensible move that now must be followed up with action so we can avoid a repeat of the nightmare of Big Tobacco.”
So, let's talk about Pat Kennedy...the Democrat...the fuck wit tbh. He has admitted to being addicted to coke in his earlier years, admitted he was strung out on Oxycontin om 2006. Also in 2006 he was drunk and wrecked his car at the Capital.
And I need a lecture from this shit head about what is and is not a sensible move? No way....he is generalizing his failures with substance abuse (and different substances than the one he is advocating against) and advocating that his views, formed by his failures, be imposed on the rest of us.
Is there no end to the narcissism of our entitle fucking elitist political class?
“Extremely misguided”: Cannabis industry and policy groups weigh in on news of DOJ guideline shift
By The Cannabist Staff
In response to news that U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ is ending an Obama-era policy that allowed for marijuana legalization to spread in U.S. states, several policy and industry organizations spoke out, with concern and caution, and one in support of Sessions’ action.
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)’s Executive Director Erik Altieri said in a statement: “By rescinding the Cole Memo, Jeff Sessions is acting on his warped desire to return America to the failed beliefs of the ‘Just Say No’ and Reefer Madness eras. This action flies in the face of sensible public policy and broad public opinion. The American people overwhelmingly support the legalization of marijuana and oppose federal intervention in state marijuana laws by an even wider margin. This move by the Attorney General will prove not just to be a disaster from a policy perspective, but from a political one. The American people will not just sit idly by while he upends all the progress that has been made in dialing back the mass incarceration fueled by marijuana arrests and destabilizes an industry that is now responsible for over 150,000 jobs. Ending our disgraceful war on marijuana is the will of the people and the Trump Administration can expect severe backlash for opposing it”.
National Cannabis Industry Association Executive Director Aaron Smith stated:
This news from the Department of Justice is disturbing, especially in light of the fact that 73% of voters oppose federal interference with state cannabis laws. But, the rescinding of this memo does not necessarily mean that any major change in enforcement policy is on the horizon. This has been, and still will be, a matter of prosecutorial discretion. We therefore hope that Department of Justice officials, including U.S. Attorneys, will continue to uphold President Trump’s campaign promise to not interfere with state cannabis programs, which have been overwhelmingly successful in undercutting the criminal market.
In addition to safely regulating the production and sale of cannabis, state-based cannabis programs have created tens of thousands of jobs and generated more than a billion dollars in state and local tax revenue to date. Any significant change in federal enforcement policy will result in higher unemployment and will take funds away from education and other beneficial programs. Those revenues will instead go back to drug cartels and other criminal actors.
The Marijuana Policy Project’s interim executive director Matthew Schweich issued a statement saying:
“This extremely misguided action will enable a federal crackdown on states’ rights with regard to marijuana policy. Attorney General Sessions has decided to use the power of the federal government to attack the ability of states to decide their own laws. A majority of Americans support legalization, and Sessions has simply decided to ignore their views. In the states where marijuana is legal, voters approved those legalization policies at the ballot box. This is a direct attack on the will of the people.”
“This decision may very well lead to federal agents raiding licensed, regulated, and tax-paying businesses — these businesses are employing thousands of Americans and generating hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue for public services including substance abuse treatment programs and new school construction. MPP will be pushing Congress to pass legislation this year that establishes marijuana policy as a states’ rights issue and prevents federal interference.”
Related stories
- What now? Experts weigh in on potential impact of Sessions’ rollback of marijuana policy
- Trump administration must battle public opinion, economics in attack on marijuana
- Cannabis stocks plunge on news that Sessions is shifting marijuana policy
- The text of Jeff Sessions’ memo to rescind Obama-era marijuana policies, and the DOJ statement
- “This is outrageous”: Politicians react to news that A.G. Sessions is rescinding the Cole Memo
“While we are encouraged by the White House’s overall commitment to criminal justice reform, we are disappointed by the Attorney General’s decision to undermine the 10th Amendment, which gives states the right to enact and enforce their own laws. Many states are reforming their criminal justice systems for the better, and when it comes to marijuana laws, we agree with President Trump that it’s ‘up to the states.’
“At a time when our prisons are wildly overcrowded and taxpayers are forced to spend hundreds of billions of dollars each year to fund a failed War on Drugs, we believe it’s time for a new, smarter approach to drug policy that is sensible and truly makes our neighborhoods safe. Instead of prosecuting non-violent individuals for an act that has already been legalized in half a dozen states and decriminalized in several others, this administration should work with Congress to reform our outdated federal sentencing laws, which ruin lives, tear apart families and communities, and place a massive burden on hardworking taxpayers.”
The New Federalism Fund, an organization “interested in state-first regulation of state-based commerce and creating a common sense regulatory system for those who are in or serve the state-based cannabis industry” said in their statement:
“The state regulated and legal cannabis industry has created tens of thousands of jobs, more than a billion dollars in tax revenue, and has taken market share from foreign criminal enterprises. We have also seen statistically significant declines in opioid overdose deaths in the states that have decided to opt out of federal cannabis prohibition,” said Neal Levine, Chairman of the New Federalism Fund. “Going after the state legal and regulated cannabis industry would not only damage the economies and undermine public safety in the states that have opted out of federal cannabis prohibition, it would also export all of our legal cannabis jobs to Canada and other countries. That will not make America great again. It would be a tremendous mistake, and a violation of the core principles of Federalism, for the federal government to interfere with the states and shift all of those jobs and revenues back to drug cartels and other criminal actors.”
“The Cole Memo has always been a statement of prioritization. The memo itself states quite clearly that it ‘does not alter in any way the Department’s authority to enforce federal law, including federal laws related to marijuana, regardless of state law.’ Although Attorney General Session’s Justice Department has decided to rescind the Cole memo, it remains to be seen whether the actions of the Department will change in any significant way. Our hope is that the Administration will continue to follow the principles of Federalism and the sentiment of President Donald Trump, who said in 2016 that marijuana policy ‘should be up to the states, absolutely.’ Attorney General Sessions and the DOJ should allow the states to continue to be the laboratories of democracy and lead on the cannabis issue. And it is time for Congress to get off the policy sidelines and enact changes to the Controlled Substances Act so that states have the unfettered leeway to fully implement their marijuana regulatory efforts. Regulation works better than prohibition.”
Drug Policy Alliance executive director Maria McFarland Sánchez-Moreno stated: “Jeff Sessions’ obsession with marijuana prohibition defies logic, threatens successful state-level reforms, and flies in the face of widespread public support for legalization. It’s now time for Congress to put the brakes on Sessions’ destructive agenda by limiting the Justice Department’s ability to undermine states’ decisionmaking.”
Human Rights Watch, an NGO dedicated to human rights issues expressed their concern with a statement from U.S. Program director Jasmine Tyler: “As California joins the growing number of states moving to tax and regulate marijuana, Attorney General Jeff Sessions continues to show just how out of touch he is with scientists and taxpayers by deciding today to instead let federal prosecutors where pot is legal decide how aggressively to enforce federal marijuana law. This will no doubt spike arrests and fuel mass incarceration, largely for people of color, but this Administration has been clear from their campaign promises of harsh policies that trample rights that this day would eventually come to pass. The war on drugs, whether it went away or just slowed down, is now back.”
Anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) released a statement from their director, Kevin A. Sabet, who said, “This is a good day for public health. The days of safe harbor for multi-million dollar pot investments are over. DOJ’s move will slow down the rise of Big Marijuana and stop the massive infusion of money going to fund pot candies, cookies, ice creams, and other kid-friendly pot edibles. Investor, banker, funder beware.”
Former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, a SAM Honorary Advisor stated, “The Cole Memo had been waved around by money-hungry pot executives for years, searching for legitimacy among investors and banks. It’s time we put public health over profits. This is a sensible move that now must be followed up with action so we can avoid a repeat of the nightmare of Big Tobacco.”
Baron23
Well-Known Member
Washington State Vows to Defend Cannabis From Federal Crackdown
Washington state Governor Jay Inslee was quick to defend his state’s legal cannabis industry in the wake of US Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ decision Thursday morning to rescind the Cole memo, an Obama-era Justice Department guideline that set a policy of federal noninterference with legal-cannabis states.
“As we have told the Department of Justice ever since I-502 was passed in 2012, we will vigorously defend our state’s laws against undue federal infringement.”
WA Governor Jay Inslee
“In Washington state we have put a system in place that adheres to what we pledged to the people of Washington and the federal government,” Inslee said in a statement. “We are going to keep doing that and overseeing the well-regulated market that Washington voters approved.”
“Make no mistake,” Inslee added. “As we have told the Department of Justice ever since I-502 was passed in 2012, we will vigorously defend our state’s laws against undue federal infringement.”
Bob Ferguson, Washington state’s attorney general and a frequent courtroom opponent of the Trump administration, joined Inslee in that promise, pledging “to vigorously defend the will of the voters in Washington state.”
In Seattle, Mayor Jenny Durkan, a former US attorney, said she would instruct the Seattle Police Department not to cooperate with federal cannabis enforcement.
“Federal law enforcement will find no partner with Seattle to enforce the rollback of these provisions.”
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan
“Let’s be clear: Our Seattle Police Department will not participate in any enforcement action related to legal businesses or small personal possession of marijuana by adults,” she said in a statement. “Federal law enforcement will find no partner with Seattle to enforce the rollback of these provisions.”
It would be difficult for federal agencies to pursue action against legal cannabis businesses without the aid of local law enforcement, as they depend heavily on joint task forces, but even without local cooperation, federal prosecutors could easily target individual businesses. However, some members of Washington’s legal cannabis industry say they’re more concerned about what this means for banking.
RELATED STORY
Sessions Rescinds Cole Memo, Which Protected State-Legal Cannabis From Feds
Ian Eisenberg, owner of well-known Seattle cannabis retailer Uncle Ike’s, said of course he was worried about criminal prosecution but was “most worried about how Salal will react.”
Salal Credit Union, one of the first financial institutions to work with the cannabis industry, now holds close to $40 million in cannabis assets, including those of Uncle Ike’s. Jeremy Moberg, president of CannaSol Farms, a state-licensed cannabis grower in Eastern Washington, echoed those concerns.
“I’ve kind of moved off cash and I’m all in the bank now. I’m kind of worried,” he said, “that my accounts could be frozen.”
Enforcement of federal cannabis laws in the absence of the Cole memo could vary greatly depending on policy priorities of individual US attorneys.
Sheryl Kirchmeier, Salal’s senior vice president of marketing, said there was no reason to worry just yet. “At this time, it’s business as usual. We’re really just waiting to see what potential impacts this may have, if any,” she said. “We’re still fully supportive of our members and wanting to the best for them.”
At the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, it also appears to be business as usual. Many licensees are concerned that the Justice Department could compel the agency to release licensing records. The agency’s spokesperson, Brian Smith, said they were deferring to the governor’s office for an official statement, but he offered licensees a bit of assurance about day-to-day operations.
“Our director, Rick Garza, met with marijuana licensing staff earlier this morning,” he told Leafly. “He told them that if they hear questions from licensees, that they are to tell them that nothing has changed. [That] we will continue to adhere by the Cole memo, that we’ll keep processing their applications, that deadlines facing licensees still apply.”
RELATED STORY
The Cole Memo: What Is It and What Does It Mean?
As Leafly has reported, enforcement of federal cannabis laws in the absence of the Cole memo could vary greatly depending on policy priorities of individual US attorneys. The US attorney for the Western District of Washington, Annette L. Hayes, did not respond to a request for comment. An assistant for US Attorney Joseph H. Harrington, of the state’s Eastern District, said that her office had been instructed to direct all media inquiries to the DOJ’s national press office.
How federal enforcement would unfold in Washington is still anyone’s guess, although it’s worth noting that Harrington, in the Eastern District, was recently promoted to interim US attorney by Sessions himself, while Hayes is a holdover from the Obama era.
Despite being in Harrington’s district, which tends to be a more conservative area of the state, CannaSol’s Moberg isn’t ready to panic yet.
“Everybody’s freaking out. I’m not freaking out. Should I be? It’s hard to take the Trump administration very seriously. If it was Obama doing something like that, it would be like, ‘Holy shit, what changed?’—or any other president.”
Washington state Governor Jay Inslee was quick to defend his state’s legal cannabis industry in the wake of US Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ decision Thursday morning to rescind the Cole memo, an Obama-era Justice Department guideline that set a policy of federal noninterference with legal-cannabis states.
“As we have told the Department of Justice ever since I-502 was passed in 2012, we will vigorously defend our state’s laws against undue federal infringement.”
WA Governor Jay Inslee
“In Washington state we have put a system in place that adheres to what we pledged to the people of Washington and the federal government,” Inslee said in a statement. “We are going to keep doing that and overseeing the well-regulated market that Washington voters approved.”
“Make no mistake,” Inslee added. “As we have told the Department of Justice ever since I-502 was passed in 2012, we will vigorously defend our state’s laws against undue federal infringement.”
Bob Ferguson, Washington state’s attorney general and a frequent courtroom opponent of the Trump administration, joined Inslee in that promise, pledging “to vigorously defend the will of the voters in Washington state.”
In Seattle, Mayor Jenny Durkan, a former US attorney, said she would instruct the Seattle Police Department not to cooperate with federal cannabis enforcement.
“Federal law enforcement will find no partner with Seattle to enforce the rollback of these provisions.”
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan
“Let’s be clear: Our Seattle Police Department will not participate in any enforcement action related to legal businesses or small personal possession of marijuana by adults,” she said in a statement. “Federal law enforcement will find no partner with Seattle to enforce the rollback of these provisions.”
It would be difficult for federal agencies to pursue action against legal cannabis businesses without the aid of local law enforcement, as they depend heavily on joint task forces, but even without local cooperation, federal prosecutors could easily target individual businesses. However, some members of Washington’s legal cannabis industry say they’re more concerned about what this means for banking.
RELATED STORY
Sessions Rescinds Cole Memo, Which Protected State-Legal Cannabis From Feds
Ian Eisenberg, owner of well-known Seattle cannabis retailer Uncle Ike’s, said of course he was worried about criminal prosecution but was “most worried about how Salal will react.”
Salal Credit Union, one of the first financial institutions to work with the cannabis industry, now holds close to $40 million in cannabis assets, including those of Uncle Ike’s. Jeremy Moberg, president of CannaSol Farms, a state-licensed cannabis grower in Eastern Washington, echoed those concerns.
“I’ve kind of moved off cash and I’m all in the bank now. I’m kind of worried,” he said, “that my accounts could be frozen.”
Enforcement of federal cannabis laws in the absence of the Cole memo could vary greatly depending on policy priorities of individual US attorneys.
Sheryl Kirchmeier, Salal’s senior vice president of marketing, said there was no reason to worry just yet. “At this time, it’s business as usual. We’re really just waiting to see what potential impacts this may have, if any,” she said. “We’re still fully supportive of our members and wanting to the best for them.”
At the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, it also appears to be business as usual. Many licensees are concerned that the Justice Department could compel the agency to release licensing records. The agency’s spokesperson, Brian Smith, said they were deferring to the governor’s office for an official statement, but he offered licensees a bit of assurance about day-to-day operations.
“Our director, Rick Garza, met with marijuana licensing staff earlier this morning,” he told Leafly. “He told them that if they hear questions from licensees, that they are to tell them that nothing has changed. [That] we will continue to adhere by the Cole memo, that we’ll keep processing their applications, that deadlines facing licensees still apply.”
RELATED STORY
The Cole Memo: What Is It and What Does It Mean?
As Leafly has reported, enforcement of federal cannabis laws in the absence of the Cole memo could vary greatly depending on policy priorities of individual US attorneys. The US attorney for the Western District of Washington, Annette L. Hayes, did not respond to a request for comment. An assistant for US Attorney Joseph H. Harrington, of the state’s Eastern District, said that her office had been instructed to direct all media inquiries to the DOJ’s national press office.
How federal enforcement would unfold in Washington is still anyone’s guess, although it’s worth noting that Harrington, in the Eastern District, was recently promoted to interim US attorney by Sessions himself, while Hayes is a holdover from the Obama era.
Despite being in Harrington’s district, which tends to be a more conservative area of the state, CannaSol’s Moberg isn’t ready to panic yet.
“Everybody’s freaking out. I’m not freaking out. Should I be? It’s hard to take the Trump administration very seriously. If it was Obama doing something like that, it would be like, ‘Holy shit, what changed?’—or any other president.”
ataxian
In a BLACK HOLE!
Washington State Vows to Defend Cannabis From Federal Crackdown
Washington state Governor Jay Inslee was quick to defend his state’s legal cannabis industry in the wake of US Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ decision Thursday morning to rescind the Cole memo, an Obama-era Justice Department guideline that set a policy of federal noninterference with legal-cannabis states.
“As we have told the Department of Justice ever since I-502 was passed in 2012, we will vigorously defend our state’s laws against undue federal infringement.”
WA Governor Jay Inslee
“In Washington state we have put a system in place that adheres to what we pledged to the people of Washington and the federal government,” Inslee said in a statement. “We are going to keep doing that and overseeing the well-regulated market that Washington voters approved.”
“Make no mistake,” Inslee added. “As we have told the Department of Justice ever since I-502 was passed in 2012, we will vigorously defend our state’s laws against undue federal infringement.”
Bob Ferguson, Washington state’s attorney general and a frequent courtroom opponent of the Trump administration, joined Inslee in that promise, pledging “to vigorously defend the will of the voters in Washington state.”
In Seattle, Mayor Jenny Durkan, a former US attorney, said she would instruct the Seattle Police Department not to cooperate with federal cannabis enforcement.
“Federal law enforcement will find no partner with Seattle to enforce the rollback of these provisions.”
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan
“Let’s be clear: Our Seattle Police Department will not participate in any enforcement action related to legal businesses or small personal possession of marijuana by adults,” she said in a statement. “Federal law enforcement will find no partner with Seattle to enforce the rollback of these provisions.”
It would be difficult for federal agencies to pursue action against legal cannabis businesses without the aid of local law enforcement, as they depend heavily on joint task forces, but even without local cooperation, federal prosecutors could easily target individual businesses. However, some members of Washington’s legal cannabis industry say they’re more concerned about what this means for banking.
RELATED STORY
Sessions Rescinds Cole Memo, Which Protected State-Legal Cannabis From Feds
Ian Eisenberg, owner of well-known Seattle cannabis retailer Uncle Ike’s, said of course he was worried about criminal prosecution but was “most worried about how Salal will react.”
Salal Credit Union, one of the first financial institutions to work with the cannabis industry, now holds close to $40 million in cannabis assets, including those of Uncle Ike’s. Jeremy Moberg, president of CannaSol Farms, a state-licensed cannabis grower in Eastern Washington, echoed those concerns.
“I’ve kind of moved off cash and I’m all in the bank now. I’m kind of worried,” he said, “that my accounts could be frozen.”
Enforcement of federal cannabis laws in the absence of the Cole memo could vary greatly depending on policy priorities of individual US attorneys.
Sheryl Kirchmeier, Salal’s senior vice president of marketing, said there was no reason to worry just yet. “At this time, it’s business as usual. We’re really just waiting to see what potential impacts this may have, if any,” she said. “We’re still fully supportive of our members and wanting to the best for them.”
At the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, it also appears to be business as usual. Many licensees are concerned that the Justice Department could compel the agency to release licensing records. The agency’s spokesperson, Brian Smith, said they were deferring to the governor’s office for an official statement, but he offered licensees a bit of assurance about day-to-day operations.
“Our director, Rick Garza, met with marijuana licensing staff earlier this morning,” he told Leafly. “He told them that if they hear questions from licensees, that they are to tell them that nothing has changed. [That] we will continue to adhere by the Cole memo, that we’ll keep processing their applications, that deadlines facing licensees still apply.”
RELATED STORY
The Cole Memo: What Is It and What Does It Mean?
As Leafly has reported, enforcement of federal cannabis laws in the absence of the Cole memo could vary greatly depending on policy priorities of individual US attorneys. The US attorney for the Western District of Washington, Annette L. Hayes, did not respond to a request for comment. An assistant for US Attorney Joseph H. Harrington, of the state’s Eastern District, said that her office had been instructed to direct all media inquiries to the DOJ’s national press office.
How federal enforcement would unfold in Washington is still anyone’s guess, although it’s worth noting that Harrington, in the Eastern District, was recently promoted to interim US attorney by Sessions himself, while Hayes is a holdover from the Obama era.
Despite being in Harrington’s district, which tends to be a more conservative area of the state, CannaSol’s Moberg isn’t ready to panic yet.
“Everybody’s freaking out. I’m not freaking out. Should I be? It’s hard to take the Trump administration very seriously. If it was Obama doing something like that, it would be like, ‘Holy shit, what changed?’—or any other president.”
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