Sessions: More Violence Around Pot Than 'one Would Think'

[+Malamute]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/4eb30a0569c440429e6c7da7589d630c/sessions-more-violence-around-pot-one-would-think

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department will try to adopt "responsible policies" for enforcement of federal anti-marijuana laws, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Monday, adding that he believes violence surrounds sales and use of the drug in the U.S.

In a meeting with reporters, Sessions said the department was reviewing an Obama administration Justice Department memo that gave states flexibility in passing marijuana laws.

"Experts are telling me there's more violence around marijuana than one would think," Sessions said.

 

The comments were in keeping with remarks last week from White House spokesman Sean Spicer, who said the Justice Department would step up enforcement of federal law against recreational marijuana. Sessions stopped short of saying what he would do, but said he doesn't think America will be a better place with "more people smoking pot."

 

"I am definitely not a fan of expanded use of marijuana," he said. "But states, they can pass the laws they choose. I would just say, it does remain a violation of federal law to distribute marijuana throughout any place in the United States, whether a state legalizes it or not."

 

Eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use. The Justice Department has several options available should it decide to enforce the law, including filing lawsuits on the grounds that state laws regulating pot are unconstitutional because they are pre-empted by federal law.

 

Studies have found no correlation between legalization of marijuana and violent crime rates. But law enforcement officials in states such as Colorado say drug traffickers 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 higher.

 

Pot advocates say the officials have exaggerated the problem.

 

"You can't sue somebody for a drug debt. The only way to get your money is through strong-arm tactics, and violence tends to follow that," Sessions said.

 

Sessions said he met with Nebraska's attorney general, who sued Colorado for allegedly not keeping marijuana within its borders. That lawsuit was dismissed by the U.S. Supreme Court, but neighboring states continue to gripe that Colorado and other pot-legal states have not done enough to keep the drug from crossing their borders.

[+Malamute]

Sessions pushes tougher line on marijuana

 

 

http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2017/02/jeff-sessions-marijuana-235461

 

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, long an outspoken opponent of drug legalization, is signaling he will continue to toe a tough line against marijuana as the nation's top lawman even though a growing number of states are moving to legalize or decriminalize pot.

 

"Most of you probably know I don’t think America is going to be a better place when more people of all ages and particularly young people start smoking pot," Sessions said during an exchange with reporters at the Justice Department. "I believe it's an unhealthy practice and current levels of THC in marijuana are very high compared to what they were a few years ago."

 

"We're seeing real violence around that," Sessions said. "Experts are telling me there's more violence around marijuana than one would think and there's big money involved."

Sessions spoke sympathetically about the state of Nevada's filing of a lawsuit to block the flow of marijuana from Colorado, which voted to legalize pot in 2012 and began allowing commercial production in 2014.

 

"I'm definitely not a fan of expanded use of marijuana," he said. "States they can pass the laws they choose. I would just say it does remain a violation of federal law to distribute marijuana throughout any place in the United States, whether a state legalizes it or not."

 

In 2013, under President Barack Obama, the Justice Department announced that it would not directly challenge state marijuana legalization laws and would take a narrower role enforcing federal law against pot sales in states where the drug was legalized.

 

A series of guidelines, widely referred to as the Cole memo after Deputy Attorney General James Cole, said federal enforcement and prosecution efforts would focus on preventing drug-related violence, as well as stopping distribution to minors, weeding out gang involvement and blocking marijuana from being transported to states where it remains illegal.

 

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said last week he expects the Trump administration to seek "greater enforcement" of federal laws against marijuana. However, he said he did not expect an impact on medical marijuana use. He did not say how authorities would differentiate, particularly in states where both medical and recreational use is legal.

 

Sessions has not said whether he will revise the Cole memo or step up enforcement in states where pot is legal or decriminalized, but he confirmed Monday that the policy is under review.

 

"Most states have some limits on it and, already, people are violating those limits," the attorney general said. "We're going to look at it. ... and try to adopt responsible policies."

[cristinew]

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/keep-your-campaign-pledge-respect-state-marijuana-legalization-laws

 

Keep your campaign pledge to respect state marijuana legalization laws. Created by A.H. on February 23, 2017 Sign This Petition

Needs 78,118 signatures by March 25, 2017 to get a response from the White House

 

21,882 SIGNED

100,000 GOAL

 

On February 23, Press Secretary Sean Spicer indicated the Department of Justice might begin "greater enforcement" of federal law in states that have legalized marijuana. But during the campaign President Trump repeatedly pledged that if elected the federal government would respect the rights of states to enact their own cannabis laws. That is a wise policy supported by a growing super-majority of voters. They know that state marijuana legalization laws hurt the cartels, fund our schools and roads, and protect public health and safety. Studies in the Journal of the American Medical Association and others have shown that states with legal and accessible medical and recreational marijuana see a significant reduction in opioid death rates. Please keep your promise to the American people.

 

After you sign check your email to confirm.. Share this also Thanks 

Edited February 28, 2017 by cristinew

[briefcasejoe]

 

 

"Experts are telling me there's more violence around marijuana than one would think,"

Are these the same "experts" ermm I mean propaganda specialists that have been advising trump

 

 

 

You can't sue somebody for a drug debt. The only way to get your money is through strong-arm tactics, and violence tends to follow that,"

oh yes because legal weed stores are fronting their weed...

 

 

 

States they can pass the laws they choose. I would just say it does remain a violation of federal law to distribute marijuana throughout any place in the United States, whether a state legalizes it or not."

so essentially you can pass what ever laws you want but we are still going to screw you in anyway we can.  

 

After they take care of rec they will go after caregivers. can't have plants being grown that aren't tracked by the government. seed to sale tracking huge facillities that require millions to start up will be the only thing left. the weed will be bunny muffin and all the quality weed will be underground again.