Trump Attorney General Pick Says Congress Needs To Legalize Cannabis

Trump Attorney General Pick Sen. Sessions Says Congress Needs To Legalize Cannabis

“The United States Congress has made the possession of marijuana in every state, and distribution of it, an illegal act,” Sen. Sessions testified. “If that’s something is not desired any longer, Congress should pass a law to change the rule.”

The source has the video of him saying this being that I don't see this currently on YouTube.
ºSource



I haven't seen this shared as of yet, so figured to add it as a breaking update being that many are wondering what will go on with the current legalization and further legalization of marijuana in the country. I've been as critical as others about him about this issue due to his past views on the subject. Those are shared in the OP.* Looks like a turn around? Thoughts?

Title as by posting guidelines, with an added notation for clarification of the Senator for those unfamiliar with him.



ETA:

*I've looked into this. The 2016 quote is from 8:58: "The prevention movement... in trying to send the message that good people don't smoke marijuana." that he's mentioning starts at 8:40.

The KKK part from the past, he denounced it.

Figures claimed that Sessions once said that he used to think that the Ku Klux Klan was okay until he found out that they smoked marijuana, according to The New York Times. Sessions responded to this accusation by saying that he hates the KKK and that the marijuana comment was just a joke.

Was it a joke? Seems in bad taste nonetheless. Source

a reply to: dreamingawake

Wasn't he against maryjane? He must have seen the dollar signs by making it federally legal. I fall on Trumps side of this and leave it up to the individual states.

a reply to: JinMI

I fall on Trumps side of this and leave it up to the individual states.

And therefore the Federal Authorities need to repeal their draconian laws so that the individual states can pass their own restrictions.

P

a reply to: dreamingawake

If this is true, there will be many Trump haters turned Trump lovers.

originally posted by: JinMI
a reply to: dreamingawake

Wasn't he against maryjane? He must have seen the dollar signs by making it federally legal. I fall on Trumps side of this and leave it up to the individual states.

Yes, some of his comments as shared in the OP source:

During a Senate hearing in 2016, Sen. Sessions said, “Good people don’t smoke marijuana.” In the 1980s, as an Alabama U.S. Attorney Sessions said, he thought the Klu Klux Klan (KKK) “were OK until I found out they smoked pot.”

I'm hoping it's more so to abide by the constitution rather than revenue interests, which could drive greed and some concerning results from Monsanto, Big Pharma interests, etc. Unfortunately the revenue is even a big factor in our legal states. My state for example is addressing possible tax loss as to whether people can have and grow their own plants- every other legal state can now except Washington State. That should pass considering they are phasing out medical marijuana-which allowed plants to patients.

Most likely, the plan to tax it is finalized and ready for trials.

The US would not miss the chance to capitalize on any loopholes there is to tax a plant which can be grown almost anywhere. 1 plant = x amount of money... Like a citation.

originally posted by: pheonix358
a reply to: JinMI

I fall on Trumps side of this and leave it up to the individual states.

And therefore the Federal Authorities need to repeal their draconian laws so that the individual states can pass their own restrictions.

P

I wholeheartedly agree.

Bigger question, why the sudden change of heart from Sessions?

www.politico.com...

It is a long read but some decent info.

Rather surprising..I wonder if the DEA will butt heads with him over it?

Alot of money involved so..it will be about money.

originally posted by: vonclod
Rather surprising..I wonder if the DEA will butt heads with him over it?

Alot of money involved so..it will be about money.

Probably so, going to be interesting to see that discussed. It's time for them to move on, let up on this failed drug war.

I don't believe that Sessions is advocating for Congress to legalize cannabis. I think he's passing the buck and setting the blame stage for when he, if confirmed, starts a cannabis war with the states.

He seems like he would be for legalizing cannabis through congress. However, he does not seem to be for state's rights, at least according to his comments on whether or not he will uphold the law and start shutting down "legal" marijuana sales, both medical and recreational.

Trump is moving pretty fast, maybe he will get around to drug reform. At this rate, he'll have had a lot of his goals completed as soon as he took office. And there is going to be time left over.

a reply to: windword

If that is the scenario that plays out then, the people lose, the states lose, the fed wins BUT loses tons of brownie (hehe) points on both sides of the political aisle. The risk hardly seems worth the reward.

Is that one sentence the only quote we have from him the past year, or what? Recently one of those people did a doomsday kind of thread about this, and despite me basically begging for pages dude wouldn't post anything he actually said about it.

a reply to: dreamingawake

Absolutely

originally posted by: windword
I don't believe that Sessions is advocating for Congress to legalize cannabis. I think he's passing the buck and setting the blame stage for when he, if confirmed, starts a cannabis war with the states.

I agree with this! I definitely think he will start going after the states.

a reply to: dreamingawake

That is a Great Idea for All 50 States to Collect Sales Tax Revenues and Ease the Burden on the Federal Government's allocation of Funds to them all . A Smart Business Deal Indeed .

He seems to me to be saying he will enforce the laws as written and if the laws are no longer wanted, they need changed. I don't see an issue with that. Skirting a law won't get rid of it, our representatives in the government need to get rid of it.

It's not entirely States rights when it comes to selling it in significant amounts, which I believe takes it into the Federal realm.

a reply to: Blaine91555

My interpretation of the role of the Fed's and when it comes to laws er rather crimes is, outside of things likes public officials corruption / Federal Reserve Notes / kidnapping, federal law is generally reserved for crimes that involve the crossing of state/national lines. To me hat's about all it ever should be, anyways.

Context is everything.

a reply to: dreamingawake

Whhhhhhhaaaaaattttttt????!

He's the last person I'd expect to make such a claim!