Sessions ending federal policy that let legal pot flourish

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

https://apnews.com/19f6bfec15a74733b40eaf0ff9162bfa

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Jeff Sessions has rescinded an Obama-era policy that paved the way for legalized marijuana to flourish in states across the country, creating new confusion about enforcement and use just three days after a new legalization law went into effect in California.

President Donald Trump’s top law enforcement official announced the change Thursday. Instead of the previous lenient-federal-enforcement policy, Sessions’ new stance will instead let federal prosecutors where marijuana is legal decide how aggressively to enforce longstanding federal law prohibiting it.

Sessions’ plan drew immediate strong objection from Republican Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado, one of eight states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use.

Gardner said in a tweet that the Justice Department “has trampled on the will of the voters” in Colorado and other states. He said the action would contradict what Sessions had told him before the attorney general was confirmed and that he was prepared “to take all steps necessary” to fight the step including holding up the confirmation of Justice Department nominees.

Sessions rescinded the policy by president Barack Obama’s Justice Department that has generally barred federal law enforcement officials from interfering with marijuana sales in states where the drug is legal.

“In deciding which marijuana activities to prosecute under these laws with the Department’s finite resources, prosecutors should follow the well-established principles that govern all federal prosecutions,” by considering the seriousness of the crime and its impact on the community, Sessions wrote in a one-page memo to the nation’s federal prosecutors.

The move by Trump’s attorney general likely is sure to add to confusion about whether it’s OK to grow, buy or use marijuana in states where the drug is legal.

It comes just after 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 marijuana policy reflect his own concerns. Trump’s personal views on marijuana remain largely unknown.

 

 

 

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

2 minutes ago, Il Mango Dulce said:

https://apnews.com/19f6bfec15a74733b40eaf0ff9162bfa

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Jeff Sessions has rescinded an Obama-era policy that paved the way for legalized marijuana to flourish in states across the country, creating new confusion about enforcement and use just three days after a new legalization law went into effect in California.

President Donald Trump’s top law enforcement official announced the change Thursday. Instead of the previous lenient-federal-enforcement policy, Sessions’ new stance will instead let federal prosecutors where marijuana is legal decide how aggressively to enforce longstanding federal law prohibiting it.

Sessions’ plan drew immediate strong objection from Republican Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado, one of eight states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use.

Gardner said in a tweet that the Justice Department “has trampled on the will of the voters” in Colorado and other states. He said the action would contradict what Sessions had told him before the attorney general was confirmed and that he was prepared “to take all steps necessary” to fight the step including holding up the confirmation of Justice Department nominees.

Sessions rescinded the policy by president Barack Obama’s Justice Department that has generally barred federal law enforcement officials from interfering with marijuana sales in states where the drug is legal.

“In deciding which marijuana activities to prosecute under these laws with the Department’s finite resources, prosecutors should follow the well-established principles that govern all federal prosecutions,” by considering the seriousness of the crime and its impact on the community, Sessions wrote in a one-page memo to the nation’s federal prosecutors.

The move by Trump’s attorney general likely is sure to add to confusion about whether it’s OK to grow, buy or use marijuana in states where the drug is legal.

It comes just after 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 marijuana policy reflect his own concerns. Trump’s personal views on marijuana remain largely unknown.

 

 

 

what a waste of time

 

Refer madness 

[yuna628 9,676]

Somehow I think ol' Jeffy must have been watching CNN's NYE coverage, which featured hours of people smoking pot. It was all rather odd, surprised there wasn't a fine.. but maybe it triggered him.

[Italian_in_NYC 259]

As a libertarian, I am for legalization of any drug (and education about them).

It would decrease criminal activities and increase awareness (and the quality of the product).

No matter what, people who want to smoke pot (or do almost any other kind of drug) do it anyways.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

3 minutes ago, Italian_in_NYC said:

As a libertarian, I am for legalization of any drug (and education about them).

It would decrease criminal activities and increase awareness (and the quality of the product).

No matter what, people who want to smoke pot (or do almost any other kind of drug) do it anyways.

As a middle of the road libertarian I tend to agree, although not sure about legalizing hard core very adictive drugs 

[yuna628 9,676]

I would be inclined to say that maybe Jeff should turn his attention to tobacco use which accounts for much disease, death, and rising healthcare costs.. rather than pot (and maybe you know... address the huge opioid problem in this country). This is a clear states rights issue though, so it's very curious why he'd pick this to be opposed to. I'm not a believer in drugs for any 'recreational use', but if one state wants it legal and another doesn't.. that's their problem. Medical pot - absolutely should be legal and well regulated. It's nonsensical why the DOJ is going down this path, but nothing they are currently doing makes much sense.

[OriZ 3,157]

20 minutes ago, yuna628 said:

I would be inclined to say that maybe Jeff should turn his attention to tobacco use which accounts for much disease, death, and rising healthcare costs.. rather than pot (and maybe you know... address the huge opioid problem in this country). This is a clear states rights issue though, so it's very curious why he'd pick this to be opposed to. I'm not a believer in drugs for any 'recreational use', but if one state wants it legal and another doesn't.. that's their problem. Medical pot - absolutely should be legal and well regulated. It's nonsensical why the DOJ is going down this path, but nothing they are currently doing makes much sense.

Absolutely agree. Tobacco and in many ways alcohol are much worse. Regarding the comments above, I draw the line at synthetic vs natural. I believe we have no right to ban whatever comes from nature(my working assumption is if it's here, there's a reason for it), but I'm fine with banning man made drugs like meth.

Edited January 5, 2018 by OriZ

[Boiler 45,519]

Maybe it will even out bit we have a major druggie issue, pan handling etc, something the Cops seem reluctant to deal with. They seem to stay in the more progressive areas and thin out when winter hits.

 

Many of the local seasonal businesses have moved to J1 employees, much better than the local labour sadly.

[Steeleballz 7,550]

3 hours ago, Italian_in_NYC said:

As a libertarian, I am for legalization of any drug (and education about them).

It would decrease criminal activities and increase awareness (and the quality of the product).

No matter what, people who want to smoke pot (or do almost any other kind of drug) do it anyways.

 

  I'm a hard core super extra libertarian, but I disagree with you on this one.

[Tahoma 2,292]

Ho-hum...yet another issue that both Sessions and Trump lied about.  

[Dashinka 24,504]

I think many here are missing the point.  Is it really the President’s or AGs prerogative to pick and chose which laws to enforce?  In my opinion, I also think this is a waste of time, but when the exectutive branch starts deciding their own laws, it seems a bit authoritarian to me.

[Italian_in_NYC 259]

8 hours ago, Steeleballz said:

 

  I'm a hard core super extra libertarian, but I disagree with you on this one.

At least I'd liberalize (and regulate) all the recreational drugs. We all know kids are going to use them anyways.

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

10 hours ago, Boiler said:

Maybe it will even out bit we have a major druggie issue, pan handling etc, something the Cops seem reluctant to deal with. They seem to stay in the more progressive areas and thin out when winter hits.

 

Many of the local seasonal businesses have moved to J1 employees, much better than the local labour sadly.

How is that in anyway connected to legal marijuana?

[Boiler 45,519]

37 minutes ago, Il Mango Dulce said:

How is that in anyway connected to legal marijuana?

Attracks them like flies.

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

The government sees fit to make distillation of alcohol illegal at the federal level.  Why not marijuana?