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Title: Sessions hints at crack down on recreational pot, affecting California, other states
Source:
Sacramento Bee
URL Source: http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-w ... national/article187194818.html
Published: Nov 29, 2017
Author: KATE IRBY AND EMILY CADEI
Post Date: 2017-12-01 09:03:09 by Gatlin
Keywords: None
Views: 2662
Comments: 50
Attorney General Jeff Sessions hinted Wednesday that the Justice Department may take a tougher stance on recreational marijuana in the near future, a change in policy that would have a significant impact on the five states that already allow the drug to be sold for more than medicinal purposes. California is scheduled to join that group on Jan. 1. Sessions and other DOJ officials previously indicated they would continue the policy laid out by the department under former President Barack Obama, which in essence allows state officials leeway in how they deal with the drug as long as they meet certain standards, like keeping cannabis out of the hands of minors, keeping it from crossing into states where it isn’t legal and preventing drugged driving. Marijuana, however, remains illegal under federal law, and there was always the possibility the Trump administration could crack down. “In fact, we’re looking at that very hard right now, we had a meeting yesterday and talked about it at some length,” Sessions said at a press conference Wednesday. “It’s my view that the use of marijuana is detrimental, and we should not give encouragement in any way to it, and it represents a federal violation, which is in the law and is subject to being enforced.” “We are working our way through to a rational policy, but I don’t want to suggest in any way that this department believes that marijuana is harmless and people should not avoid it,” the attorney general added, noting that DOJ was also considering how to deal with opiods and other drugs. Ian Prior, principal deputy director of public affairs at DOJ, declined to comment on what a new “rational policy” might look like or when it might be enforced. As of January 2018, recreational marijuana will be legal in Alaska, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state. It will become legal in Massachusetts in July. In some of those jurisdictions, cannabis has become a significant industry. In Colorado, for example, 2016 sales totaled $1.3 billion and provided the state with nearly $200 million in additional tax revenue, according to the state Department of Revenue. California officials are loathe to speculate on the legal headaches the federal government could create for their burgeoning cannabis market. “It’s understandable that those investing money into their businesses would be concerned about what may happen, but the Bureau has been so focused on the incredible amount of work we’ve had to do to get ready for January 1 that we really can’t focus on hypothethicals,” emailed Alex Traverso, the communications director for the state’s Bureau of Cannabis Control, which has been tasked with implementing the new law. State Treasurer John Chiang has been proactive in trying to ease concerns around one major problem for marijuana sellers created by the clash of federal and state law: access to banking services. Most cannabis entrepreneurs are forced to operate almost entirely in cash because banks don’t want to take the legal risk of providing them with accounts. That in turn makes the industry a target of violent crime, makes collecting taxes more difficult and causes problems in identifying legal versus illegal sales of the drug. Chiang’s office has been working to create a database that can help financial institutions comply with the strict anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism know- your-customer rules laid out by the Cole memo — the Obama-era policy applied to states that legalize recreational marijuana — as well as guidance from the Treasury Department. Some have hoped that Congress would take steps to legalize marijuana, but that doesn’t appear to be in the offing anytime soon. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., introduced the latest bill to legalize marijuana at the federal level in August. The bill has no co-sponsors and has not passed any committees. Were DOJ officials so inclined, they could work with the Department of Health and Human Services to reclassify marijuana so it is no longer a Schedule I drug; that status indicates the federal government recognizes no medical use for a substance and believes it has a high potential for abuse. Congress could also reclassify the drug. Sessions said in testimony before a House committee in November that he did not believe marijuana was as dangerous as heroin, which is also considered a Schedule I substance. On Wednesday, Acting Drug Enforcement Administrator Robert Patterson announced officials were submitting fentanyl substances for reclassification under Schedule I. Certain types of fentanyl, an opiod, are currently listed as a Schedule II, meaning they’re not considered as dangerous as marijuana under the law, though Sessions called fentanyl “the number one killer drug in America.” Sessions’ comments Wednesday suggested a shift from some of his recent statements. “Our policy is the same, really, fundamentally as the Holder-Lynch policy, which is that the federal law remains in effect and a state can legalize marijuana for its law enforcement purposes but it still remains illegal with regard to federal purposes,” Sessions said in testimony to the House Judiciary Committee in November, referring to the Obama-era attorneys general Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch. But he may have presaged stricter federal enforcement when, last May, he ordered federal prosecutors to pursue the most severe charges and penalties possible against defendants in drug cases, a sharp shift from the policy of his Democratic predecessors. States that have already legalized recreational marijuana haven’t encountered federal interference yet. Officials in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington sent a letter to Sessions and Secretary of the Department of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin in April advocating that they and federal officials continued to work under the parameters of the Cole memo and asking that the Trump administration engage with them before making changes. Sessions responded to them in July, saying that DOJ remained committed to enforcing federal law on marijuana “in a manner that efficiently applies our resources to address the most significant threats to public health and safety.” But he also cited studies indicating that each of the four states might not be meeting the standards of the Cole memo. The four states wrote back separately in August, all of them disputing the data Sessions used. In Washington, for example, Sessions wrote that according to a report, 61.9 percent of drivers in the state do not believe marijuana makes a difference in their driving ability. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson charged that Sessions had misread the report: It surveyed 893 drivers and found that 97 of them said they had previously used pot within two hours of driving; of those, 61.9 percent said they didn’t believe it affected their driving ability. But that number only represents 6.7 percent of all drivers in the survey. Rick Garza, the director of Washington’s Liquor Cannabis Board, said following the August letter some state and Justice Department officials met to discuss the issue. He said the three-hour meeting was a “healthy discussion” with a “positive, open dialogue,” but that DOJ officials were still reluctant to address how they planned to handle the issue in the future. “They weren’t going to share too much about a change in policy, or no change in policy,” Garza said, adding: “I thought it was going to be a bit more adversarial, to be honest with you, but it wasn’t like that.” In Nevada, where recreational marijuana sales were legalized for anyone 21 and older on July 1, Stephanie Klapstein, spokeswoman for Nevada’s Department of Taxation, said that the Cole memo was “the most recent guidance we have on this from the Department of Justice, so unless that changes we’re following that,” Klapstein said. California officials also plan to operate under the constructs of the Cole memo. “We’ve certainly tried to extend our intent that we want to work with the administration in good faith,” Chiang told McClatchy. Chiang said that early in 2017, California along with other states that have legalized marijuana spoke with Justice Department to try and reach an “understanding as to what they will permit and what they would find objectionable.” But those officials were noncommital at the time, and his office has had no further contact with the administration. Chiang said that while it’s been somewhat reassuring to see Trump’s Justice Department has not acted against other states’ cannabis markets, “we know that could change in an instant.” Beau Kilmer, co-director of the RAND Drug Policy Research Center, said it would be “very difficult” for the Justice Department to shut down the state-regulated recreational marijuana industry at this point. There are about 7,000 domestic agents of the DEA, many of whom are currently dealing with the opioid crisis, Kilmer said. Sessions could target major players to send a message or even shape the market, such as going after those who sell a high-potency product or engage in advertising. “That would have a major chilling effect,” Kilmer said. Poster Comment: You go, Sessions …
If it’s a federal law….then enforce it.
It it’s a bad federal law….then resend it or change it.
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#1. To: Gatlin (#0)
Looks like Trump is going to flip flop on this issue too. In a television interview on July 29, 2016 with KUSA-TV in Colorado, Trump said: "I wouldn’t do that [using federal authority to shut down recreational marijuana], no … I wouldn’t do that … I think it’s up to the states, yeah. I’m a states person. I think it should be up to the states, absolutely." In a radio interview with WWJ Newsradio 950 in Michigan on March 8, 2016, Trump said "I think it certainly has to be a state — I have not smoked it — it’s got to be a state decision … I do like it, you know, from a medical standpoint … it does do pretty good things. But from the other standpoint, I think that it should be up to the states." At a campaign rally in Sparks, Nevada on Oct. 29, 2015, Trump said: "The marijuana thing is such a big thing. I think medical should happen — right? Don’t we agree? I think so. And then I really believe we should leave it up to the states. It should be a state situation ... but I believe that the legalization of marijuana – other than for medical because I think medical, you know I know people that are very, very sick and for whatever reason the marijuana really helps them - … but in terms of marijuana and legalization, I think that should be a state issue, state-by-state." I don't have a dog in this fight, since I nor any in my immediate family use drugs. However, I would think with everything else that is going on, that the AG would have other more important issues to deal with, than pot ! Issues like treason; illegal immigration; corruption in the Fed Govt; muzzies ( potential terrorists ) in the country, etc, etc. I guess the AG has recused himself on those issues, and pot is the only thing he has left ??? /sarc !!! HOW ABSURD !!! Si vis pacem, para bellum Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God. Never Pick A Fight With An Old Man He Will Just Shoot You He Can't Afford To Get Hurt "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." (Will Rogers)
Good “on” him….you go, Donald. If’s it a Federal law….then enforce it. It it’s a bad Federal law….then rescind it or change it.
Do you support Trump's stance - or do you support the Attorney General's?
OK, pot lovers. Don't say you haven't been warned.
So, if the US gets nuked with some of the Uranium that Obutthole, and Hillary sold to Russia, then you can say "Yipp Yipp Yeah ", " Sessions got rid of some pot heads ". Priorities ?? Si vis pacem, para bellum Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God. Never Pick A Fight With An Old Man He Will Just Shoot You He Can't Afford To Get Hurt "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." (Will Rogers)
So you're saying it's impossible for the Attorney General to do both. Bear in mind, all Sessions is asking for is to allow the DEA to resume enforcement of our marijuana laws -- something Obama suspended. How does that pose an insurmountable problem?
Are uranium shipments under the purview of the DEA?
Oh, didn't you get the memo? Sessions is the Attorney General, not the head of the DEA.
That's my point - he has the authority to go after Hillary's uranium deal.
Sure. The Justice Department can. But the DEA is a separate department -- what they do or don't do doesn't affect Hillary's investigation.
We don’t know Trump’s position as of now. What do I support?
I have been thinking the same thing all along. I’m sure the DOJ is well qualified and sufficiently staffed to “multi-task.”
Not at all ! It is just that Sessions appears to place a much higher priority on going after pot heads, than other matters. So Sessions himself is limiting the direction of his efforts. Does not seem rational to me! I am NOT defending pot heads. But for myself, and my family, I do not consider pot heads to be as large a threat as some rag heads setting up training camps in rural areas, or roaming our cities with nukes, bombs, guns, chemicals, or large trucks; or illegals / gangs coming across our borders and committing crimes against US citizens. You may have no problem with that disparity of direction of effort, but I DO !!! Cmon misterwhite, your smarter than that !!! Like I said earlier, PRIORITIES !! Si vis pacem, para bellum Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God. Never Pick A Fight With An Old Man He Will Just Shoot You He Can't Afford To Get Hurt "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." (Will Rogers)
And if they're not ... then just go after the dopers.
And by "appears" you mean you got this impression because he mentioned it. I could, of course, be wrong, but I think he's working on other things, too. And again, he's merely trying to re-activate the DEA going after marijuana. This is not some new quest.
I support “Liberty and Justice for All.” Gatlin, --- Since it has been shown by me and it has been adequately documented that the signers of the Declaration were in favor of and enacted more stringent gun control laws that anything we have in existences today ---- It has NOT been shown by you and it has NOT been adequately documented that the signers of the Declaration were in favor of and enacted more stringent gun control laws that anything we have in existence today.. Why are you such a coward? --- Can you explain yourself?
They can do more than one thing at a time.
Yes, they can. If they display/exert the will ! I would like to see them pursue some of the areas I discussed earlier, with the same zeal ! For example, what happened to " Lock Her Up " ? If you or I had done just a fraction of what Hillary has done, we would already be rotting in a cell. Why the reluctance to go after her ? I have seen people on other forums defend the lack of pursuit of Hillary with the lame excuse of " they can only do so much, things take time ". Like I said before, I am not defending the pot heads. I nor my family use such. Our local LEOs are fully capable of dealing with that. As to the other issues I brought up, I see no zeal to pursue those ! I don't see Sessions making a big splash about pursuing other things. Wonder why ? Look, I know that for some, pursuing pot heads seems to be personal. Its like they have a religious obsession to go after pot heads. Fine, but I would like to see them pursue those other issues like they have for pursuing the pot heads. Around here, the pot heads are mostly kids, and no threat. I have yet to read or hear about pot heads shooting up night clubs, running down pedestrians, or bombing public places. As to drug users, the Meth heads, opoids users, they are different, they could be dangerous. But they do not come out here. Now the illegals, muzzies, MS 13, Black Panthers, bloods, Crips, there you are talking some that can be dangerous. Let Sessions go after them with the same zeal ! Like I said before, lets see some intelligent priorities set, and pursued ! Whatever. Si vis pacem, para bellum Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God. Never Pick A Fight With An Old Man He Will Just Shoot You He Can't Afford To Get Hurt "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." (Will Rogers)
We don't really know what is happening behind the scenes.
It has NOT been shown by you and it has NOT been adequately documented that the signers of the Declaration were in favor of and enacted more stringent gun control laws that anything we have in existence today.. Why are you such a coward? --- After re-reading that entire thread where Gatlin made those claims, it appears that he is guilty of plagiarizing virtually every one of his responses. This isn't the first time - he was doing the same thing over at Liberty Post years ago. True enough. So, we can only form our opinions & go by what is publicly declared, which would be the current facts. Otherwise, we are reacting to fantasy. Now if anyone believes I am wrong, and that Sessions IS pursuing the threats I am concerned about, with the same zeal that he is exerting against the pot heads, I would love to be shown that I am wrong. I will form my opinion based on facts presented, not on fantasy. My analogy of this situation : Sessions is a patrol officer. While a bunch ( illegals, gangs, muzzies )are recklessly speeding up & down the road, committing drive by shootings, and is silent about that. Yet he is publicly declaring that he is going after those that have expired parking meters ( pot heads ). I realize that is not a perfect analogy, but the magnitude of the difference I think makes my point! I have stated I am not defending the pot heads! But if anyone thinks the pot heads are as big a threat to public safety, as the muzzies, gangs, illegals, etc, with their shooting, suicide bombs, running over pedestrians, then they have a very irrational mind !! I have spent too much time on this! I am done with this ! Have a good day !! Si vis pacem, para bellum Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God. Never Pick A Fight With An Old Man He Will Just Shoot You He Can't Afford To Get Hurt "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." (Will Rogers)
Sessions was on Tucker tonight. I didn't see it though.
You have a good night too.
Plagiarism is the act of copying someone else’s words and passing them off as your own works … You do need to learn there are very few, to no, unique thoughts left around anywhere. If it has been thought about and written about, then many have done it before….probably a great number of times over, especially if it is a controversial subject. It isn’t anything new to deeply research what others have said, or they are saying, when widely considering an important subject. You will find many writers have been inspired by the work of others for centuries and each new generation will continue to build on the intricate elements of those who came before them. Writers have always been inspired by the work of others….with each new generation building on the unique elements of the past. There is absolutely no such thing as a new idea. You, Deckard, will copy and post an article verbatim. While what I do is research and read a lot and then take all the ideas I can find and assemble them together into my vast mental kaleidoscope….to give it a turn and watch what exhilarating new combinations of ideas almost magically form before me in my posts. Times haven’t changed. People are continuing to still adapt each other’s thoughts to fit their own writing style and individual personality. In doing so, we can learn from both the failures as well as the successes of anyone that is passing through life with us or has passed through life before us. So, if you don’t like or approve of my thoughts and writings while reading them – and it is quite obvious you do not – and think I am plagiarizing….then fucking sue me, asshole. Otherwise, just STFU and take your slap downs like a man and stop whining like a little baby. In the meantime, I will continue discovering ideas upon with to build and improve my vast repertoire to smartly portray my thoughts through the stock of skills I habitually use. While an idiot like you may call it stealing ideas….we successful thinkers like to call it being inspired. There …
if you don’t like or approve of my thoughts and writings while reading them – and it is quite obvious you do not – and think I am plagiarizing….then fucking sue me, asshole. Otherwise, just STFU and take your slap downs like a man and stop whining like a little baby. It's apparent that gatlin can NOT defend his opinions about gun control by the founders, --- as being factual. So be it.. He admits being a gungrabber, --- a fool and phony.
That's true for you, because you're a moron!
ROTFL ...
A queer Gary Johnson supporter like you wouldn't know anything about scripture. Gatlin is a superior person to you. You're a pathetic example of American values.
Which is EXACTLY what you did. Were you afraid to post the link to Slate.com where you copied and pasted the vast majority of your anti-gun rant from? You need to show me what you mean.
No matter how many posts you make about him, he's NOT going to be the Libertarian Party candidate ever again! Dream on.
While you are searching, can you show me show where anything I posted was UNTRUE. Thanks in advance …
Dream on Huh. Another lie from you, it's a regular thing from you. You druggy liars are a large part of what is wrong with America. You sound so pathetic whining about your imagined oppression because there are drug laws. I would have no interest in living in your drugged mindfuck idea of what is right and wrong and what America should be. Remember you are the one who sucked on agar Johnson's ass for year after year telling us how great his shit tasted. Now we get a real President and you pretend and lie. If I saw you in person I would probably beat your faggot ass. Now sit there and take it because I call the shots here and you are really showing what a pathetic lying asshole you really are. You're a peon that has no say and who has no impact on this world. I used to kind of like you.l
While looking for the Slate article, which I haven’t found yet and hope you soon will....I did find this at firearmsandiberty.com …
Did you know that Colonial Governments denied gun ownership to any person unwilling to affirm his allegiance to the British Crown. This came from “books.google.com/books” maybe that’s where I copied it from. I remember posting something about that. I am still looking for Slate.com …
Oh, Hell, I give up looking. If you find that I did copy and post something without giving attrition, then do as I said….fucking sue me or get over it. I will not apologize for posting anything in any way that was TRUE. However, if you show where anything I posted that was WRONG….then I will APOLOGIZE on my knees. I posted ONLY the truth….and that is what is, or should be, of the most importance to you….asshole. Get a life, Deckard …
Be careful, hondo68 is a good poster.
Here is what disappoints about Hondo. He is dishonest and lies. All the time. He likes to make snide remarks that are based on lies. For example on this thread he implied that I "Dream on" implying that I am a Gary Johnson supporter. When he and everyone knows that I've always disliked him and opposed him. Everyone also knows that Hondo did in fact told us all to support Gary Johnson not once but literally a hundred or hundreds of times. His snide way of posting is ok except that he routinely uses lies embedded in his comments. If you're honest you will acknowledge this. It's like he is incapable of making an argument or attack based on something that is true. He has to add that lie in there to try and score some imagined points.
Comments (41 - 50) not displayed.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestYou go, Sessions … If it’s a federal law….then enforce it.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
#2. To: Gatlin (#0)
" Sessions hints at crack down on recreational pot, affecting California, other states "
#3. To: Deckard (#1)
Looks like Trump is going to flip flop on this issue too.
#4. To: Gatlin (#3)
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
#5. To: Gatlin (#0)
#6. To: misterwhite (#5)
#7. To: Stoner (#2)
I would think with everything else that is going on, that the AG would have other more important issues to deal with, than pot !
#8. To: Stoner (#6)
So, if the US gets nuked with some of the Uranium that Obutthole, and Hillary sold to Russia, then you can say "Yipp Yipp Yeah ", " Sessions got rid of some pot heads ".
#9. To: misterwhite, Stoner (#8)
Are uranium shipments under the purview of the DEA?
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
#10. To: Deckard (#9)
Sessions is the Attorney General, not the head of the DEA.
#11. To: misterwhite (#10)
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
#12. To: Deckard (#11)
(Edited)
That's my point - he has the authority to go after Hillary's uranium deal.
#13. To: Deckard (#4)
It is as you said, he changes when facts presented to him are updated.
I support “Liberty and Justice for All.”
Hmmm …
Where have I heard that before?
#14. To: misterwhite (#7)
So you're saying it's impossible for the Attorney General to do both.
#15. To: misterwhite (#7)
" So you're saying it's impossible for the Attorney General to do both. "
#16. To: Gatlin (#14)
I’m sure the DOJ is well qualified and sufficiently staffed to “multi-task.”
#17. To: Stoner (#15)
It is just that Sessions appears to place a much higher priority on going after pot heads,
#18. To: Gatlin, Y'ALL, --- I support Liberty and Justice for All. --- Except on gun control (#13)
#19. To: Stoner (#2)
#20. To: A K A Stone (#19)
" They can do more than one thing at a time. "
#21. To: Stoner (#20)
#22. To: tpaine, Gatlin, A K A Stone (#18)
Gatlin, --- Since it has been shown by me and it has been adequately documented that the signers of the Declaration were in favor of and enacted more stringent gun control laws that anything we have in existences today ----
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
#23. To: A K A Stone (#21)
" We don't really know what is happening behind the scenes. "
#24. To: Stoner (#23)
#25. To: Stoner (#23)
#26. To: Deckard, A K A Stone (#22)
(Edited)
#27. To: Gatlin, admits lying about founders, --- Y'ALL (#26)
It has NOT been shown by you and it has NOT been adequately documented that the signers of the Declaration were in favor of and enacted more stringent gun control laws that anything we have in existence today.. ----- Can you explain yourself? ---- tpaine
#28. To: Gatlin, absolute moron (#26)
There is absolutely no such thing as a new idea.
#29. To: Gatlin, hondo68, Deckard (#26)
tater sez ---
There is absolutely no such thing as a new idea. You, Deckard, will copy and post an article verbatim. While what I do is research and read a lot and then take all the ideas I can find and assemble them together into my vast mental kaleidoscope….to give it a turn and watch what exhilarating new combinations of ideas almost magically form before me in my posts.
#30. To: hondo68 (#28)
#31. To: Gatlin (#26)
Plagiarism is the act of copying someone else’s words and passing them off as your own works …
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
#32. To: Deckard (#31)
(Edited)
#33. To: A K A Stone, *2020 The Likely Suspects* (#30)
Gary Johnson
#34. To: Deckard (#32)
#35. To: hondo68 (#33)
#36. To: Deckard (#34)
Racist arms laws predate the establishment of the United States. Starting in 1751, the French Black Code required Louisiana colonists to stop any blacks, and if necessary, beat "any black carrying any potential weapon, such as a cane." If a black refused to stop on demand, and was on horseback, the colonist was authorized to "shoot to kill." Slave possession of firearms was a necessity at times in a frontier society, yet laws continued to be passed in an attempt to prohibit slaves or free blacks from possessing firearms, except under very restrictively controlled conditions. Similarly, in the sixteenth century the colony of New Spain, terrified of black slave revolts, prohibited all blacks, free and slave, from carrying arms.
Those are very close to some of the words I used, especially about “free blacks”….maybe I rememberec reading them from here. But, this was not Slate.com.
#37. To: Deckard (#36)
#38. To: Deckard (#37)
(Edited)
#39. To: A K A Stone, hondo68 (#35)
#40. To: buckeroo (#39)
.
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