Trump's DOJ gears up for crackdown on marijuana

a reply to: seeker1963

Throwing more people in jail is only going to create more crime. As once they get out and can't find work because of their criminal record. They will then have to turn to more crimejust to survive.

I understand that they want to deter people from using pot but it will never happen the way they want it to.

a reply to: Oldtimer2

I'm not a liberal, thanks, nor is this nor should this be a liberal only topic. It wasn't before Trump was in office, it was more Libertarian leaning around here which was the majority of this site. Funny how that works. The old dog conservative views of marijuana are on their way out however, as many of your fellow voting base is in favor of marijuana.

a reply to: dreamingawake

So that means the Trump administration is gearing up for more attempts at out-of-step regulations. Funny how the GOP wants the government out of our business, until they don't - no Birth control, no same sex marriage, no medical marijuana. I bet if the NRA were giving away an ounces of chronic with every hand gun purchase, the DOJ couldn't get the hell out of the way fast enough. No big deal though. The genie's already out of the bag. States are making too much money to turn back now. This will be just one more attempt by an incompetent administration to 'Make America Great Again', by trying to turn the clocks back to 1955. Not going to happen

But THE most important aspect of this is that lots of people in many states have voted to legalize weed. SO this Administration is showing that it doesn't care one bit about the democratic process, the will of The People, or State's Rights. This Administration only cares about their own prejudices and agendas. And don't put the blame on Sessions. Everyone knew he was a douche-nozzle. The buck stops with the guy who hired him.

a reply to: Willtell
Why must there be an excuse...? We can actively support AND criticize. Not something I can say of others.

As to the OP, this is not a good thing. Marijuana should be legalized, and I would likely support the decriminalizing of all narcotics in small quantities.

Sessions is on his last leg and already got one foot out the door, Trump thinks this is the Apprentice where he has to fire somebody each week or so. Sessions might make a hail mary run at it, but he has got less chance of this getting passed through than Trump getting healthcare reform. Sessions will be long gone before anybody loses access to legal doobage. The stats don't back up any of Sessions assertions period. More likely your room mate or little brother is gonna pinch your stash than the feds.

originally posted by: LockNLoad

originally posted by: dreamingawake
Trump's DOJ gears up for crackdown on marijuana

Sadly it may come down to what was warned about, if nothing is done to stop it:

President Trump’s Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety, led by Sessions, is expected to release a report next week that criminal justice reform advocates fear will link marijuana to violent crime and recommend tougher sentences for those caught growing, selling and smoking the plant.

Sessions sent a memo in April updating the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and Department of Justice Department (DOJ) component heads on the work of the task force, which he said would be accomplished through various subcommittees. In the memo, Sessions said he has asked for initial recommendations no later than July 27.

“Task Force subcommittees will also undertake a review of existing policies in the areas of charging, sentencing, and marijuana to ensure consistency with the Department's overall strategy on reducing violent crime and with Administration goals and priorities,” he wrote. Criminal justice reform advocates fear Sessions’s memo signals stricter enforcement is ahead.

Nothing but fear mongering, first of all the statement; “Task Force subcommittees will also undertake a review of existing policies in the areas of charging, sentencing, and marijuana to ensure consistency with the Department's overall strategy on reducing violent crime and with Administration goals and priorities,”

Does not mean the DOJ is going to start “cracking down” on marijuana all it says is that the committee will look at ‘existing’ policies and make sure the policies are consistent with reducing violent crime and are consistent with Trumps policies, ‘that’ is all it says.

Trump has stated and recently reinforced his policy of leaving medical marijuana States alone, now States with legal recreational use ‘may’ be scrutinized more by the Feds, but until we see an increase in Federal arrests/prosecutions of ‘non’- criminal use/production, I think the knee jerking and fear mongering should be kept in check.

Trumps statement on medical marijuana after signing $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill with Rohrabacher - Blumenauer Amendment

Division B, section 537 provides that the Department of Justice may not use any funds to prevent implementation of medical marijuana laws by various States and territories. I will treat this provision consistently with my constitutional responsibility to take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

All this on top of asset forfeiture.

Again, more fear mongering, please see my post here

Substitute firearms for marijuana. See, people take it a different was.

a reply to: LockNLoad

Sessions specifically said he was going after RECREATIONAL pot.
Which is only about an inch better than going after medical too and absolutely a leap backwards.

a reply to: TacSite18

Not really a very good analogy, firearms are specifically protected by the Constitution, a better analogy would be alcohol and State rights in regulating it (dry counties and such).

a reply to: JoshuaCox

Please provide a 'direct' quote of Sessions "specifically" saying he is going after recreational pot (I can't find one), and not some "news" propagandist interpretation of what Sessions 'may' be thinking.

a reply to: dreamingawake

Damned super-liberals!! And by "super-liberals", I mean anyone who thinks the government should limit the freedom to consume certain mind-altering substances.

a reply to: dreamingawake


Read the sources people. They "... fear the report will ..." and then rather than seeing the signing statement as an explicit move to preserve the prerogative of the Executive Branch it is taken as an obvious clue a crackdown is coming. The Hill is a left wing site and the "Merry Jane" site is also biased in this discussion. All I've found of concrete evidence here is that the Trump Administration is actually studying the marijuana issue before publically stating their position. In fact the only position I remember Trump taking is that medical use should be allowed. Now with all that said, its just a weed people. Humans always have and always will seek intoxication whether it be alcohol, religion or some other drug. The only thing society should concern itself with is what people do when intoxicated (DUI, neglect, etc.) not that they use to intoxicate.

a reply to: TownCryer

Uh, when did the Republicans outlaw birth control, same sex marriage or medical marijuana? Then you throw in the oblique accusation of racism at the end. The difference with respect to states rights is hard for liberals to understand because they do not believe in literal interpretation of the Constitution. The second amendment provides a restriction on federal government with respect to guns. The tenth amendment says any powers not enumerated belongs to the states. So, a states rights argument is legit when it comes to drugs but not arms or immigration.

a reply to: Willtell

Just because I voted for him doesn't mean I blindly support everything he does. I definitely don't support this crap

I still stand by my thought that Trump is saving weed national legalization for a popularity move.

It's too perfect to not be by design, that the nations 1st billionaire president has now the ability and DATA to utilize the tax revenue from weed legalization for a plethora of needs our country has.

Seems to me that instead of starting a war to make money, we can for once, end one to make money!

I personally find it hilarious how Trump during his campaign advocated for giving power back to the States in things like abortion, etc.. saying he wanted "to make states the laboratories of democracy once again."

But apparently only in things they don't want to get involved in. Hypocrisy at its finest.

originally posted by: allsee4eye
Marijuana is too dangerous. It causes hallucinations. Men will be far more likely to commit murder, kidnapping, rape. I agree. Say no to marijuana. If you want to get high, drink coca cola. But marijuana is a big no no in my books.

Are you high?

What is going on? Misinterpreting what is literally written into law or just something else entirely?

Division B, section 537 provides that the Department of Justice may not use any funds to prevent implementation of medical marijuana laws by various States and territories.  I will treat this provision consistently with my constitutional responsibility to take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

H.R. 244

Opinion

O’SCANNLAIN, Circuit Judge:
We are asked to decide whether criminal defendants may avoid prosecution for various federal marijuana offenses on the basis of a congressional appropriations rider that prohibits the United States Department of Justice from spending funds to prevent states’ implementation of their own medical marijuana laws.

If the federal government prosecutes such individuals, it has prevented the state from giving practical effect to its law providing for non-prosecution of individuals who engage in the permitted conduct.
We therefore conclude that, at a minimum, § 542 prohibits DOJ from spending funds from relevant appropriations acts for the prosecution of individuals who engaged in conduct permitted by the State Medical Marijuana Laws and who fully complied with such laws.

DOJ is currently prohibited from spending funds from specific appropriations acts for prosecutions of those who complied with state law. But Congress could appropriate funds for such prosecutions tomorrow. Conversely, this temporary lack of funds could become a more permanent lack of funds if Congress continues to include the same rider in future appropriations bills.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA V. THE PEOPLE

The DoJ cannot interfere with State law.

Trump is on video stating (on multiple separate occasions) during the election that he is 100% for Medical and that recreational should be left up to the States to decide.

If he ever goes against this he is straight up lier and fool. Anyone with internet access can see the thousands of PubMed papers showing Cannabis has more therapeutic benefit and is safer than any pharmaceutical known to Humankind and is effective for every illness and condition known (even if that means derivatives etc.)

I think Trump is carefully crafting full blown recreational. He is best friends with Netanyahu. Israel is the home of Cannabis godfather Raphael Mechoulam who educated the Israel about Cannabis and that is why you see them leading the way in everything Innovation.

originally posted by: allsee4eye
Marijuana is too dangerous. It causes hallucinations. Men will be far more likely to commit murder, kidnapping, rape. I agree. Say no to marijuana. If you want to get high, drink coca cola. But marijuana is a big no no in my books.

Spoken like someone whom clearly has no real experience with cannabis, let alone an actual real hallucinogen.

Your kind of thinking is everything that's wrong with this world. Fearmongering to push a form of totalitarianism while based on ignorance to the views perceptions lifestyles of others. Lets just lock people up... may they get gang raped in prison, maybe even murdered in prison, if not become murderers themselves in prison for something that if it wasn't illegal wouldn't even hurt anything aside from stoke the laziness of some individuals.

Sessions sent a letter for Washington State as shared to the Washington State officials. He says a report raises serious questions about marijuana "regulatory structures" in the state. See more at washingtonpost ...sorry can't link at the moment.