Sessions to rescind Cole Memo that kept feds out of legal marijuana states

[jct74]

Sessions to rescind Cole Memo that kept feds out of legal marijuana states
The move reportedly will leave it to U.S. state attorneys where cannabis is legal to decide whether to aggressively enforce federal marijuana laws

By Sadie Gurman
JAN 4, 2018

WASHINGTON — Attorney General Jeff Sessions is rescinding the Obama-era policy that had paved the way for legalized marijuana to flourish in states across the country, two people with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press. Sessions will instead let federal prosecutors where marijuan is legal decide how aggressively to enforce federal marijuana law, the people said.

The people familiar with the plan spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it before an announcement expected Thursday.

The move by President Donald Trump’s attorney general likely will add to confusion about whether it’s OK to grow, buy or use marijuana in states where cannabis is legal, since long-standing federal law prohibits it. It comes days after pot shops opened in California, launching what is expected to become the world’s largest market for legal recreational marijuana and as polls show a solid majority of Americans believe the drug should be legal.

While Sessions has been carrying out a Justice Department agenda that follows Trump’s top priorities on such issues as immigration and opioids, the changes to pot policy reflect his own concerns. Trump’s personal views on marijuana remain largely unknown.

...

read more:
http://www.thecannabist.co/2018/01/0...-policy/95875/

[shakey1]

The pot genie is already out of the bottle.

[CCTelander]

The pot genie is already out of the bottle.

True. But that assclown Sessions still needs to go. This and his love for civil asset forfeiture make him pure poison as far as I'm concerned.

[The Northbreather]

True. But that assclown Sessions still needs to go. This and his love for civil asset forfeiture make him pure poison as far as I'm concerned.

Correct.

[EBounding]

Besides Trump, whose fault is it that Sessions is attorney general?

[dannno]

Trump’s personal views on marijuana remain largely unknown.

That is not true.. He was advocating for legalization of drugs in the 90s, and he said during the campaign that cannabis should be legal for medicinal use and that states should be allowed to legalize it.

[pcosmar]

Besides Trump, whose fault is it that Sessions is attorney general?

And how soon can he be removed from that position?

[CCTelander]

Besides Trump, whose fault is it that Sessions is attorney general?

MAGA! /s

[dannno]

And how soon can he be removed from that position?

I would recommend waiting till after Hillary is in prison.

The feds aren't going to crack down on cannabis at this point, that would be completely ludicrous. Sessions is so out of touch on this issue it isn't even funny. Trump probably won't let it happen, it would make his administration look really bad, and if they did start cracking down it would create such a huge backlash you would see congress changing the law almost overnight.

I'm more concerned with Sessions' stance on civil asset forfeiture, but it's not like that is something we can expect to go away any time soon anyway unless we get some more liberty people in DC.

[CCTelander]

And how soon can he be removed from that position?

Not soon enough. In truth, he never should have been put in that position. His views were well known before the appointment.

[Brian4Liberty]

This illustrates the problem with executive orders and memos. The federal law needs to be changed. Congress must force the Executive Branch to end the WOD. Big pharma doesn't like competition, and Congress is in their pocket.

[pcosmar]

I would recommend waiting till after Hillary is in prison.

So after Hell freezes over and pigs fly,, as a rough timeline.

[dannno]

Not soon enough. In truth, he never should have been put in that position. His views were well known before the appointment.

He's been there about a year, how many federal cannabis prosecutions have we seen in states where it's legal? How many did we see in Obama's first year of office?

[CCTelander]

So after Hell freezes over and pigs fly,, as a rough timeline.

Precisely. To believe otherwise is purely delusional.

[Brian4Liberty]

He's been there about a year, how many federal cannabis prosecutions have we seen in states where it's legal? How many did we see in Obama's first year of office?

Good question. Under Obama the Feds were constantly busting medical marijuana shops in California, which was policy under the first Cole Memo. It was the second Cole Memo in 2013 that slowed that down. Any busts recently?

[Origanalist]

That is not true.. He was advocating for legalization of drugs in the 90s, and he said during the campaign that cannabis should be legal for medicinal use and that states should be allowed to legalize it.

If I remember correctly he said all kinds of $#@! during the campaign. How much of it do you estimate that he intends to do?

[dannno]

If I remember correctly he said all kinds of $#@! during the campaign. How much of it do you estimate that he intends to do?

He has never, ever, once, in 70 years given any indication that he thinks cannabis should be illegal for medical purposes or that states should not be able to legalize. In fact his views used to be even more extreme (legalization of all drugs).

There are other issues that he has changed his mind on or made contrary statements, this is not one of them.

[dannno]

Good question. Under Obama the Feds were constantly busting medical marijuana shops in California, which was policy under the first Cole Memo. It was the second Cole Memo in 2013 that slowed that down. Any busts recently?

Not that I'm aware of.

During the Thomas Fire a couple weeks ago, some guy in Montecito had a few hundred lbs. of cannabis as well as equipment for making concentrate (including butane cans) and they had to waste a bunch of time investigating the whole thing when they should have just got the butane out of there and fought the fire. I haven't heard of any specific charges brought against him yet, or even an arrest.

[shakey1]

That is not true.. He was advocating for legalization of drugs in the 90s, and he said during the campaign that cannabis should be legal for medicinal use and that states should be allowed to legalize it.

He's been dummy up on the issue recently.

[phill4paul]

I would like Sessions to point to the Constitutional amendment explicitly stating that the Federal government has a say in whether or not states choose to legalize a drug.

[dannno]

He's been dummy up on the issue recently.

What?

[shakey1]

What?

hasn't said much about it since his election.

[jct74]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZDNiENiGY8

[dannno]

hasn't said much about it since his election.

So you think he spent 70 years consistently supporting the legalization of cannabis for medicinal purposes and supported states legalizing so that he could trick people into becoming President and then change his views but not say anything?

[nikcers]

So you think he spent 70 years consistently supporting the legalization of cannabis for medicinal purposes and supported states legalizing so that he could trick people into becoming President and then change his views but not say anything?

you know its not like he supported Ron Paul or anything and changed his views to trick people, he supported the Mitt Romneys, the Hillary Clintons, he is a gate keeper.

[dannno]

you know its not like he supported Ron Paul or anything and changed his views to trick people, he supported the Mitt Romneys, the Hillary Clintons, he is a gate keeper.

Do you have any examples of Trump saying the same thing consistently for 70 years and then changing his mind? Because none of the examples you just cited are even remotely the same thing.

[nikcers]

Do you have any examples of Trump saying the same thing consistently for 70 years and then changing his mind?

yeah he was a democrat for 70 years.

[shakey1]

So you think he spent 70 years consistently supporting the legalization of cannabis for medicinal purposes and supported states legalizing so that he could trick people into becoming President and then change his views but not say anything?

Dunno... he's been known to contradict himself from time to time... not a trick per se... more part of his persona.

jus' sayin'.

[dannno]

yeah he was a democrat for 70 years.

Source?

And please don't use the "I probably identify more as a Democrat" quote from 2004 either, that's super weak.. his reasoning was that the economy did better under Democrats, had nothing to do with their policies and in fact he admitted that.

[dannno]

Dunno... he's been known to contradict himself from time to time... not a trick per se... more part of his persona.

jus' sayin'.

Yes, but there is not an example that anybody has shown me that comes anywhere close to this, it doesn't make any logical sense at all to think that he held these views for 70 years and now he changed his mind when there is ZERO indication that he has changed his mind.

You think he changed his mind because he brought Sessions in, when him bringing Sessions in had NOTHING to do with that issue.