AP: Sessions to end policy of federal nonintervention in state legal weed

[K1052]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Jeff Sessions is going after legalized marijuana. Sessions is rescinding a policy that had let legalized marijuana flourish without federal intervention across the country.

That’s according to two people with direct knowledge of the decision. They were not allowed to publicly discuss it before an announcement expected Thursday and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The move will leave it to U.S. attorneys where pot is legal to decide whether to aggressively enforce federal marijuana law. The move likely will add to confusion about whether it’s OK to grow, buy or use marijuana in states where it’s legal, since long-standing federal law prohibits it.

The decision comes days after California began selling recreational marijuana.

Sessions compares marijuana to heroin and blames it for spikes in violence.

https://apnews.com/19f6bfec15a74733b40eaf0ff9162bfa

While entirely predictable this is not going to be a crowd pleaser for 2018. Gallup has shown wide majorities of Democrats and Independents favor legalization and, as of recently, a slim majority of Republicans do as well. If US Attorneys start going after people with any vigor this is going to become a major problem politically.

 

[Puffnstuff]

This is obviously to punish the blue states and their ability to generate revenue.

 

[bshole]

This is obviously to punish the blue states and their ability to generate revenue.

I think it has more to do with weed growers not having a powerful lobby buying votes. Objectively the war on weed has been an utter failure. It is illegal in my state and still easier for teens to get than alcohol. The same was true when I was a teen. Legalization and regulation would probably be more effective in keeping it from teens, it certainly couldn't be worse.

 

[K1052]

This is obviously to punish the blue states and their ability to generate revenue.

I think that is incidental. Sessions hates weed and thinks it's basically heroin, has for a long time.

Revenue is going to be an interesting side of this though. Places like CO that reap hundreds of millions in taxes are going to be far less than amused if people start getting prosecuted. Going into the midterms the GOP really does not need to be made less popular in a lot of places than it already is.

 

[dank69]

https://apnews.com/19f6bfec15a74733b40eaf0ff9162bfa

While entirely predictable this is not going to be a crowd pleaser for 2018. Gallup has shown wide majorities of Democrats and Independents favor legalization and, as of recently, a slim majority of Republicans do as well. If US Attorneys start going after people with any vigor this is going to become a major problem politically.

I don't think it will be a loser at all. America voted for this. Give Americans what they want and blame Democrats for the problems.

 

[Phokus]

Republicans are c**ts, shocking news at 11

 

[SlowSpyder]

Time to legalize it at a federal level.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I think that is incidental. Sessions hates weed and thinks it's basically heroin, has for a long time.

Revenue is going to be an interesting side of this though. Places like CO that reap hundreds of millions in taxes are going to be far less than amused if people start getting prosecuted. Going into the midterms the GOP really does not need to be made less popular in a lot of places than it already is.

I don't based upon what the GOP deliberately did with their tax reform.

 

[zinfamous]

Damn, that "state's rights" thing is super inconvenient unless using it to persecute minorities and poors, isn't it?

The GOP is a fucking joke.

 

[Puffnstuff]

Damn, that "state's rights" thing is super inconvenient unless using it to persecute minorities and poors, isn't it?

The GOP is a fucking joke.

Trump and his minions are looking for anything they can leverage against Democrats that would take the heat off him but each time he does something all it does is reinforce the negative opinions of him.

 

[FIVR]

God dammnit my weed stock ETF is down 6% because of this. F you jeff sessions you owe me $9000

 

[zinfamous]

God dammnit my weed stock ETF is down 6% because of this. F you jeff sessions you owe me $9000

lol. you should sue him.

 

[PricklyPete]

I don’t know what more this administration could do now to show they are completely out of touch with younger generations.

 

[brycejones]

I don’t know what more this administration could do now to show they are completely out of touch with younger generations.

Mandate the use of the telegraph for all communications?

 

[Phokus]

God dammnit my weed stock ETF is down 6% because of this. F you jeff sessions you owe me $9000

I would never invest in weed with a republican c*nt in charge.

 

[vi edit]

From the article:

"Sessions and some law enforcement officials in states such as Colorado blame legalization for a number of problems, including drug traffickers that have taken advantage of lax marijuana laws to hide in plain sight, illegally growing and shipping the drug across state lines, where it can sell for much more. The decision was a win for pot opponents who had been urging Sessions to take action."

That there is all the more reason to just end the stupidity and reschedule it.

This administration just continues to act on spite rather than reason.

 

[nakedfrog]

I don’t know what more this administration could do now to show they are completely out of touch with younger generations.

Start trying to ban that damned "rap music" again?

 

[SlowSpyder]

From the article:

"Sessions and some law enforcement officials in states such as Colorado blame legalization for a number of problems, including drug traffickers that have taken advantage of lax marijuana laws to hide in plain sight, illegally growing and shipping the drug across state lines, where it can sell for much more. The decision was a win for pot opponents who had been urging Sessions to take action."

That there is all the more reason to just end the stupidity and reschedule it.

This administration just continues to act on spite rather than reason.

I get the idea behind enforcing laws that are in existence, even if I don't like the law. The answer here is to change the law, MJ should not be a scheduled substance. No administration or congress has taken that common sense approach to resolving this silliness.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Damn, that "state's rights" thing is super inconvenient unless using it to persecute minorities and poors, isn't it?

The GOP is a fucking joke.

Have to agree here.

 

[brandonbull]

Things must be going great if this is a big concern for the AG.

 

[Jhhnn]

From the article:

"Sessions and some law enforcement officials in states such as Colorado blame legalization for a number of problems, including drug traffickers that have taken advantage of lax marijuana laws to hide in plain sight, illegally growing and shipping the drug across state lines, where it can sell for much more. The decision was a win for pot opponents who had been urging Sessions to take action."

That there is all the more reason to just end the stupidity and reschedule it.

This administration just continues to act on spite rather than reason.

Heh. CO authorities are aggressively cooperative wrt enforcement against interstate trafficking. Federal enforcement against state legal operations won't improve that. Quite the contrary, I suspect.

It'll be interesting to see what kind of mealy mouthed pronouncement (if any) will be forthcoming.

Cannabis prohibition is snakebit, the outcome inevitable, but we'll see lots of drama in the meanwhile.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I blame Obama, seriously.

 

[SlowSpyder]

I blame Obama, seriously.

Instead of looking the other way, I wish him (or someone) would have made a proper attempt at changing the law / scheduling.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Instead of looking the other way, I wish him (or someone) would have made a proper attempt at changing the law / scheduling.

Completely agree. Another example that Obama was feckless as hell.

 

[mect]

I blame Obama, seriously.

I'm just curious as to why? I mean, he certainly didn't help the situation, but its not like he vetoed a bill attempting to legalize or decriminalize MJ. I can see blaming congress.