Images via Wikimedia Commons
On January 4, Attorney General and weed-hating buzzkill Jeff Sessions rescinded three Obama-era policies that now puts the future of legal marijuana use in jeopardy. Although several states have adopted lax cannabis laws that have either decriminalized or legalized pot, it’s still an illegal drug under federal law. The hands-off approach of the previous administration left it up to states to decide how they wanted to prosecute weed cases as long as state laws didn’t interfere with federal policies, such as fighting drug cartels.Now, under Sessions, who famously said that “good people don’t smoke marijuana,” a national crackdown on weed has been implemented and U.S. attorneys will able to decide which cases to prosecute. So much for Sessions supporting states’ rights.Sessions’ memo was released the same week that California made history as the sixth state to legalize recreational marijuana use after Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Nevada. Both the recreational and medical marijuana industries are on edge given Sessions’ track record.Republicans and Democrats state leaders in pot-friendly states (Massachusetts and Maine could potentially begin sales this year) took to social media to shutdown Sessions’ actions and rally support for pro-weed legislation.
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If you feel that the Justice Department should leave it to the states to decide their own laws about pot without meddling from the federal government or want to express your thoughts on federal legalization then contact your elected officials and share your thoughts.