PDA

View Full Version : States Gird For Marijuana War With Jeff Sessions




CaseyJones
02-27-2017, 07:26 AM
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/marijuana-states-sessions_us_58b380cce4b0780bac2a7468


Communities are rising up green and steeling for a “states’ rights” battle over the cultivation and sale of recreational marijuana — despite a warning about a crackdown by the federal government.

“There’s still a federal law that we need to abide by when it comes to recreational marijuana,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer said last week. “Recreational use ... is something the Department of Justice will be looking into,” he said, emphasizing: “I do believe you’ll see greater enforcement” of federal law.

Pot remains illegal under the federal Controlled Substances Act, even though recreational use of marijuana has been approved in eight states and Washington, D.C. It’s legal for medical use in 30 states.

Now growers, smokers and even state officials are preparing to guard the crop across the nation. A major concern is revenue. The non-profit Tax Foundation estimates that a mature legalized marijuana industry would generate up to $28 billion in tax revenue for federal, state and local governments. Colorado raked in $70 million in taxes in 2015, exceeding expectations.

A report on jobs predicts that the legal marijuana industry in the U.S. could create more than 250,000 jobs by the year 2020, Forbes reports. That’s more than projected job gains from manufacturing, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In Washington, the first state with Colorado to legalize recreational use of the drug, the state attorney general vowed to defy a federal crackdown.

“I will resist any efforts by the Trump administration to undermine the will of the voters in Washington state,” Ferguson told the Seattle Times.

Ferguson and state Gov. Jay Inslee sent a letter Feb. 15 to U.S. Attorney Jeff Sessions outlining the arguments for keeping pot legal in the state, not least of which is that the legitimate marijuana industry is expected to generate a whopping increase of $272 million in taxes in 2017.

A federal crackdown would only force the industry “back underground, returning bumper profits to criminal groups while once again depleting government resources,” the letter adds.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper opposed legalizing marijuana until voters approved it in his state and it’s “now part of our constitution,” he said on NBC’s “Meet The Press” on Sunday. “Over 60 percent of American people are now in a state where either medical or recreational marijuana is legalized. It’s become one of the great social experiments of our time.”

He told MSNBC on Friday: “I think it’s the wrong time to pull back from this experiment, and if the federal government’s going to come and begin closing in and arresting people that are doing what’s legal in different states, my god, it creates a level of conflict that’s going to be very difficult.

835269245537673216

In California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom fired off a letter on Friday to Donald Trump urging him to “work in partnership with California and the other … states that have legalized recreational marijuana for adult use.” The government “must not strip the legal and publicly-supported industry of its business, and hand it back to drug cartels and criminals,” he added.

California legalized recreational use of the drug in the last election. Officials for the state agency formulating specific pot regulations said last week that they’re proceeding with plans to license growers and sellers, despite Spicer’s warning.

“Until we see any sort of formal plan from the federal government, it’s full speed ahead for us,” Alex Traverso, a spokesman for the California Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation, told the Los Angeles Times.

Republican California Rep. Dana Rohrabacher has introduced a bill called “Respect State Marijuana Laws,” H.R. 975, which would block enforcement of federal laws against local operations that comply with states regulations on legalized pot. It has been co-sponsored by 14 members of Congress.

Rohrabacher is part of a new Congressional Cannabis Caucus which also includes GOP Rep. Don Young of Alaska and Democrats Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Colorado’s Jared Polis, Fortune reports.

Democratic Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden has also called on the federal government to “respect the decisions of Oregon voters.”

“Instead, the Trump Administration is threatening states’ rights, including the rights of one in five Americans who live in a state where marijuana is legal,” Wyden said. “I will fight hard against ridiculous federal government intrusions into our state.”

Recreational growers and users could switch horses for a time and move into the medical marijuana field, which doesn’t seem high on the administration’s radar. Or the business will simply go underground.

During his presidential campaign Donald Trump said marijuana use should be left “up to the states,” reinforcing a common Republican battle cry of “states rights.” Asked specifically in an interview in 2016 about legalized recreational use of marijuana in Colorado, Trump responded: “I think it’s up to the states, yeah. I’m a states person. I think it should be up to the states, absolutely.”

But he’s apparently changed his tune now, no doubt because of Sessions’ antipathy to the drug. Sessions said in April that “good people don’t smoke marijuana.”

Spicer came under fire for linking marijuana use to opioid addictions. “You see the opioid addiction crisis blossoming, the last thing we should be doing is encouraging” marijuana use, Spicer said. A 2017 analysis of research literature by the National Academy of Sciences found little evidence linking marijuana use opioid addictions. Some medical experts even believe that marijuana could be used to help addicts wean themselves from opioids.

CaseyJones
02-27-2017, 07:33 AM
Colorado Governor Invokes States' Rights on Recreational Marijuana

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/colorado-governor-invokes-states-rights-recreational-marijuana


Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, invoked states’ rights on Sunday, when he was asked if Attorney General Jeff Sessions might enforce federal law against the recreational use of marijuana.

Hickenlooper told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he opposed recreational marijuana in 2012, when 55 percent of Colorado voters approved a state constitutional amendment allowing personal use of the illegal drug for people over age 21.

"It's in our constitution," Hickenlooper said on Sunday. "I took a solemn oath to support our constitution. So, I am -- and it's interesting, it's the sovereignty -- the states have a sovereignty just like the Indian tribes, just like the federal government does. So, it's an interesting--"

"You don't think it's clear that the federal government could stop you? You don't think it's a clear-cut case?" host Chuck Todd interrupted.

"Exactly. I don't think it is," Hickenlooper replied. "And I think it's certainly -- it's never my choice to be in conflict with federal law. Let's make that clear.

"That being said, so Senator (Cory) Gardner (R-Col.) had talked to Mr. Sessions before he was confirmed, Senator Sessions at that point, and was led to believe that Senator Sessions said, you know, enforcement of marijuana was not going to be their primary -- it wasn't worth rising to the top and becoming a priority. And the implication was you don't have to get -- don't go crazy on this.

"Now, obviously things might have changed, and we have to see what happens, but I mean, there are over 60 percent of American people are now in a state where either medical or recreational marijuana is legalized. This has become one of the great social experiments of our time."

Hickenlooper said he's "getting close" to supporting recreational marijuana. "I mean, I don't think I'm quite there yet, but we have made a lot of progress. We didn't see a spike in teenage use. If anything, it's come down in the last year.

"And we're getting anecdotal reports of less drug dealers. I mean, that's -- if you get rid of that black market, you got tax revenues to deal with addictions and some of the unintended consequences of legalized marijuana, maybe this system is better than what was admittedly a pretty bad system to begin with."

At the White House last week, spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters, “I do believe you'll see greater enforcement" of federal marijuana laws.

He said there’s a “big difference” between medical marijuana and recreational use of the drug, “which is something the Department of Justice I think will be further looking into.”

tod evans
02-27-2017, 08:05 AM
Frankly it's disgusting that politicians and government functionaries are permitted to profit from this bickering, on both sides of the argument.

As a pro-all drugs person I'm for the public flogging of any "public servant" who would try to interfere with, or profit from, any substance a citizen wants to consume from food to booze and drugs.

CaseyJones
02-27-2017, 08:22 AM
ya know this is something we could make a difference in
if everyone who has access to twitter, facebook, reddit and comment sections in articles about this were to push H.R.975 we could get it to the floor for a vote

information on H.R.975 https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr975/text
how to contact your congressmen http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
recent poll showing approval for respecting states marijuana laws at 71% https://www.mpp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Quinnipiac-Poll-Feb-2017.pdf


Here is a NORML form letter quick link to congress supporting H.R. 975

http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/51046/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=19997

:D

surf
02-27-2017, 12:45 PM
it's time to use the Wa State Nat'l Guard for something worthwhile: border defense. i'm calling on the Governor to station guard troops along the border with Idaho and Oregon (because i don't like Oregon) and at the airports as well....

Iowa
02-27-2017, 01:01 PM
Sessions looks like another politics oaf from awhile back.



https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQUZpgVpHfDrJymXMKM_TooNRGCe7_57 3epQeXEEiCjShEAFn8U





http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/06/16/rossperotap.jpg

CaseyJones
02-27-2017, 05:12 PM
bump

dannno
02-27-2017, 05:15 PM
I have a feeling the Press Sec. was more referring to enforcement of recreational cannabis in states where it is illegal. He certainly did not seem well versed on the topic, did not address the issue directly of states making it legal and ultimately turned it over to the AG or something for further questions.

H. E. Panqui
02-27-2017, 05:36 PM
...people who identify as 'conservative republicans' tend to be absolute peckerheads as to 'drugs'..i know of a couple of loud 'conservative republican' fools (both of whom frequently and idiotically opine on the local squawk-talk republican-radio show) who brag about smoking fancy tobacco cigars as they call for severe criminal penalties for anyone who would dare take a whiff of the burned leaves of the marijuana plant!...

...we're dealing with some twisted goddamned fools...LOTS OF THEM...these prohibitionist cretins run wild in the stinking rotten republican party inc...trump has SURELY surrounded himself with and imposed upon us many of these miserable prohibitionist idiots...

CPUd
02-27-2017, 06:06 PM
We have no choice. We have to ban the marijuanas because heroin.

tod evans
02-27-2017, 06:07 PM
We have no choice. We have to ban the marijuanas because heroin.

And children!

dannno
02-27-2017, 06:08 PM
We have no choice. We have to ban the marijuanas because heroin.

Well Trump actually said that if states legalize recreational marijuana the federal government should allow it in those places.

I'm not sure if you are aware of that fact, or purposely ignoring it.

CPUd
02-27-2017, 06:10 PM
Well Trump actually said that if states legalize recreational marijuana the federal government should allow it in those places.

I'm not sure if you are aware of that fact, or purposely ignoring it.

Good people don't smoke marijuana

dannno
02-27-2017, 06:14 PM
Good people don't smoke marijuana

I've heard a lot worse.

Brian4Liberty
02-27-2017, 08:07 PM
The metrics on this will be tough (as if political statistics weren't always deceptive). It will be hard to tell if Sessions/Trump are worse or better than Obama, as Obama was pretty much ignored by the mainstream media on "negative" issues, while the MSM is busy these days making mountains out of every molehill.

State's rights would be one way to push for marijuana, another would be for the Congress to repeal Federal marijuana laws.

PatriotOne
02-27-2017, 10:45 PM
Stand down stoners...Trump said he would leave the marijuana laws up to the states. He's treating his campaign promises like it was a contract with the people. He seems hell bent on literally doing what he said he would do. Sessions has bigger fish to fry.

CPUd
02-28-2017, 02:48 AM
Sessions pushes tougher line on marijuana


Attorney General Jeff Sessions, long an outspoken opponent of drug legalization, is signaling he will continue to toe a tough line against marijuana as the nation's top lawman even though a growing number of states are moving to legalize or decriminalize pot.

"Most of you probably know I don’t think America is going to be a better place when more people of all ages and particularly young people start smoking pot," Sessions said during an exchange with reporters at the Justice Department. "I believe it's an unhealthy practice and current levels of THC in marijuana are very high compared to what they were a few years ago."

"We're seeing real violence around that," Sessions said. "Experts are telling me there's more violence around marijuana than one would think and there's big money involved."

Sessions spoke sympathetically about the state of Nebraska's filing of a lawsuit to block the flow of marijuana from Colorado, which voted to legalize pot in 2012 and began allowing commercial production in 2014.

"I'm definitely not a fan of expanded use of marijuana," he said. "States they can pass the laws they choose. I would just say it does remain a violation of federal law to distribute marijuana throughout any place in the United States, whether a state legalizes it or not."

In 2013, under President Barack Obama, the Justice Department announced that it would not directly challenge state marijuana legalization laws and would take a narrower role enforcing federal law against pot sales in states where the drug was legalized.

A series of guidelines, widely referred to as the Cole memo after Deputy Attorney General James Cole, said federal enforcement and prosecution efforts would focus on preventing drug-related violence, as well as stopping distribution to minors, weeding out gang involvement and blocking marijuana from being transported to states where it remains illegal.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said last week he expects the Trump administration to seek "greater enforcement" of federal laws against marijuana. However, he said he did not expect an impact on medical marijuana use. He did not say how authorities would differentiate, particularly in states where both medical and recreational use is legal.

Sessions has not said whether he will revise the Cole memo or step up enforcement in states where pot is legal or decriminalized, but he confirmed Monday that the policy is under review.

"Most states have some limits on it and, already, people are violating those limits," the attorney general said. "We're going to look at it. ... and try to adopt responsible policies."

http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2017/02/jeff-sessions-marijuana-235461

parocks
02-28-2017, 06:08 AM
Well Trump actually said that if states legalize recreational marijuana the federal government should allow it in those places.

I'm not sure if you are aware of that fact, or purposely ignoring it.


Do you think that's still operative? I've been hearing bits and pieces about this marijuana issue and Trump, and these days, you really can't tell what's happening. Someone is likely call everything "fake news"

Do you think that Trump is going to try to do something in those states who have legalized it for recreational use? Or is he going to leave it alone in those 8 states? I'm in one of those 8 states, and I'd very much be pissed at Trump if he went against our state laws here.

Ender
02-28-2017, 06:49 AM
The metrics on this will be tough (as if political statistics weren't always deceptive). It will be hard to tell if Sessions/Trump are worse or better than Obama, as Obama was pretty much ignored by the mainstream media on "negative" issues, while the MSM is busy these days making mountains out of every molehill.

State's rights would be one way to push for marijuana, another would be for the Congress to repeal Federal marijuana laws.

Or getting rid of the WoD, entirely.

shakey1
02-28-2017, 12:45 PM
Or getting rid of the WoD, entirely.

Agreed... it shouldn't even be a political issue at all. It's an herb for christsakes!... besides being legal in DC.

http://www.themarijuanaeffect.com/image-files/drbonghit.jpg