No Legal Threat to US States that Permit Usage of Marijuana

There will be no legal action against states that allow the use of marijuana, according to United States President Donald Trump. President Donald Trump made an announcement that denounced possible plans for action against states with America who has voted for marijuana legalization. This announcement was made on Friday 13th. This announcement comes in the face of the U.S Attorney General’s stance on marijuana and the marijuana legalization across their states.

Senator Cory Gardner is a Republican who is known for his permissive views on marijuana and the legalization of marijuana. Gardner had stopped the Senate to allow nominations by the Justice Department that would make changes to the present marijuana laws.

The United States Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, revoked policy that had been started beneath the former Democratic government. Former President Barack Obama had begun a policy whereby the federal stance on marijuana was somewhat eased. The Obama Administration had begun this policy so that states that had legalized marijuana would not undergo strict enforcement of marijuana laws. In the wake of the legalization of recreational marijuana and licensing in the new year, Sessions began unpinning this policy in order to be able to take a hard stance against marijuana and be able to have a guiding and controlling hand in the States that had voted for the legalization of marijuana. This stance from Sessions enabled federal prosecutors to follow through and attain federal criminal charges for marijuana-related crimes.

Gardner, Colorado’s Governor, released a statement on the same Friday saying that he had received assurance from the President that Colorado’s legal weed market would remain unaffected. He went on to say that the President would enable legislation to “fix” Colorado’s rights issues.

This statement from Governor Gardner was reinforced by Sarah Sanders, the White House spokeswoman. The White House spokeswoman confirmed the Governor’s statements and assured that the President is dedicated to the rights of each state.

More than fifty percent of the states have supported and legalized medicinal marijuana and in some the recreational use of marijuana as well. However even though there is resounding support for the legalization of marijuana countrywide, marijuana is still illegal under federal law. Because marijuana is illegal under federal law, testing and clinical trials can become complicated. Clinical testing and researchers are unable to receive federal funding for critical testing and research because it is still illegal under federal law.

There have been many reports in the news of the criticism from the President towards U.S General Attorney Jeff Sessions. This came to light in the news when Sessions disqualified himself from the federal investigation into the possible coalition between President Trump and Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Governor Gardner had admitted that after some discussions with the Justice Department some of the nominations had been allowed. He went on to say that he will allow the other nominations that he had previously stopped to go forward.

Oregon’s Democratic U.S Representative Earl Blumenauer does not share the same optimism. Oregan is also a state known for its relaxed stance on marijuana. Blumenauer was reported to have said that his lack of optimism on this subject is largely due to the fact that President Trump has often exhibited unreliable statements, stating that the President is known to often “change his mind”. Blumenauer has said that while the more permissive states should retain a sense of optimism they also should be prepared for the opposite.

Trump had supported that states should have the right to enforce and decide for themselves their stance on marijuana during his 2016 campaign. However, last year saw President Trump shifting his stance on the same subject. He was reported to have said that he had a “constitutional responsibility” to “faithfully execute federal laws.”

Washington state is one of the more permissible states, as they allow the use of marijuana, both recreational and medicinal. Bob Ferguson is the Democratic attorney general of this state and has said that the statement from Gardner had made hime feel optimistic, although cautiously so. Ferguson went on to say that Washington State has a well organized and regulated cannabis industry and that until he would defend Washington state’s marijuana market if necessary. Ferguson said that before an actual law or agreement is defined on the subject of marijuana and the federal regulation of marijuana in states that have legalized marijuana, he would stand by Washington state’s regulations and organized marijuana market.