Posted on 01/04/2018 2:26:22 PM PST by Ennis85
Attorney General Jeff Sessions will roll back an Obama-era policy that gave states leeway to allow marijuana for recreational purposes.
The Justice Department on Thursday afternoon released a memo announcing that the so-called Cole memo — which ordered U.S. attorneys in states where marijuana has been legalized to deprioritize prosecution of marijuana-related cases — would be rescinded effective immediately.
"Previous nationwide guidance specific to marijuana enforcement is unnecessary and is rescinded, effective immediately," the memo reads.
Two sources with knowledge of the decision confirmed to The Hill early Thursday that Sessions planned on ending the policy authored in 2013 by then-Deputy Attorney General James Cole.
The Associated Press first reported the decision.
Sessions, a vocal critic of marijuana legalization, has hinted for months that he would move to crack down on the growing cannabis market. Sessions, since taking over as head of the Justice Department, has appeared to show a harder line on marijuana. In May, the attorney general sent a letter to congressional leaders requesting they get rid of an amendment in the department’s budget that blocks the Justice Department from using federal money to prevent states "from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of medical marijuana."
Opponents of legal marijuana on Thursday celebrated the long-awaited action.
“It’s pretty clear that the federal policy is going to be that U.S. attorneys will have discretion and the industry can no longer hide behind the Cole memo and say that they’re protected,” said Kevin Sabet, who worked in Obama’s Office of National Drug Control Policy and now runs the anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana. “There is an unknown here because we don’t know how this is going to be implemented.”
The move is likely to put the federal government in conflict
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
So, this is what he’s spending his time on? How about the deep state mess in DC.
Sessions really needs to go. I don’t care much about reefer, but I do care that Huma and Hillary are traitors walking around free.
Priorities, man. Dude needs to go.
Out of all of the issues of the day that Sessions could attack, this has to be the dumbest choice.
If this is all he is doing he needs to be fired ASAP!
Sessions should back off on this. I don’t know how the feds get away with prohibiting the intrastate cultivation and consumption of weed, under the 10th Amendment. If the feds can ban weed, they can ban junk food and usurp other state police powers.
Out of all the things that need doing at the DKJ, why this? This is like doing g tax reform while our borders yet bleed.
There’s another 100 comments on this same article here: http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3619416/posts
“Sessions will end policy that allowed legalized marijuana to prosper “
Amazing the spin on that headline.
So allowing a vice to “prosper” is now a virtue.
DOJ
Do you really think this is the only thing Sessions is doing right now or has been doing this year? Isn’t it possible he can work on more than one thing?
For this he emerged from his hides hole.
You might be interested in this sequel to the earlier thread.
God Bless Sessions!
Freak-A-Forn-Ia will FREAK-Out!!!
Indeed!
MJ is a loser issue. Sessions is making a mistake.
Sessions is an odd little man with an odd little fixation on marijuana. It needs to stop.
A great way to alienate millions. Lets hope this is a head fake or diversion away from something significant.
For several years, Congress has attached riders to legislation that prohibits the DOJ from spending tax dollars to go after legal pot users. That rider has lapsed - I believe the House passed it in their spending bill but not the Senate - but it could well be added back in conference.
This is going create massive confusion out here in California, with many people now thinking all private use is okay. The most likely outcome? They will simply ignore the law disliked my the majority of voters. It’s been done before. Tyranny by decree.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.