White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer
It has been a whirlwind since the White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on Thursday indicated that the Trump administration may engage in “greater” efforts to enforce federal anti-marijuana laws in jurisdictions that have legalized and regulated its adult use.
In the last four days, NORML has helped to generate over 20,000 emails to members of Congress in to support HR 975, The Respect State Marijuana Laws Act, which would prevent federal agencies from enforcing prohibition in states that have changed their marijuana laws. In addition, over 5,000 individuals for the first time have also emailed their state elected officials via our Act page in support of various statewide legislative reforms.
While neither the White House nor the Department of Justice have yet to act on their threats, this trial balloon could be a prelude to aggressive action in the not so distant future. In the context of recent actions by the Department of Justice in regard to immigration enforcement and private prisons, it is within the realm of possibility that a full scale assault on marijuana users could be coming shortly.
Even if the Department of Justice does little more than send letters to elected officials in legal states declaring its intention to act, this alone will have a serious chilling effect on the implementation of statewide legalization laws. These are exactly the sort of tactics that our opponents in states like Maine and Massachusetts have sought for in order to justify delaying implementing the will of their voters.
We must be vigilant and pressure Congress to protect adult use marijuana states from undue federal interference.
Also, in the wake of Spicer’s comments, NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano has two new op-ed’s, appearing in The Hill and The Daily Caller.
Trump Administration’s dubious claims about pot and opioids are dead wrong
…Proponents of marijuana prohibition have long alleged that experimentation with pot acts as a ‘gateway’ to the use and eventual abuse of other illicit substances. But the evidence does not support this claim.
In reality, permitting marijuana sales to be regulated by licensed, state-authorized distributors rather than by criminal entrepreneurs and pushers of various other illicit drugs results in fewer, not more, Americans abusing other, potentially more dangerous substances…
– Read more in The Hill
Trump’s Proposed Pot Crackdown Is Out Of Step With Voters, Including Many Republicans
…Rather than picking an unnecessary fight with the majority of American voters, including a significant portion of Trump’s own base, the administration should consider embracing common sense marijuana law reforms. Endorsing bipartisan legislation, HR 975: The Respect State Marijuana Laws Act,” would be a good place to start. In accordance with the electorate’s wishes, passage of the act would prevent the federal government from criminally prosecuting individuals or businesses that are engaging in state-sanctioned activities specific to the possession, use, production, and distribution of marijuana.
Despite more than 70 years of federal marijuana prohibition, Americans’ consumption of and demand for cannabis is here to stay. It is time for politicians to acknowledge this reality and amend federal marijuana laws in a manner that comports with majority public opinion and the plant’s rapidly changing legal and cultural status. The Trump administration has the opportunity to take the lead on this issue. It would be an enormous political misstep for them to do otherwise….
– Read more in The Daily Caller
Additionally, the newly formed Cannabis Caucus put out a statement regarding last the announcement from Spicer:
“Today’s statement by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer regarding marijuana policy reaffirms the need for the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. Last November, eight more states passed measures to increase access to state-legal cannabis, and today more than 300 million Americans live in states with access to adult-use marijuana or some form medical cannabis. Among them are four additional states that have fully legalized the adult-use of marijuana. We hope today’s comments do not reflect the views of the President and his administration. As co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, we stand ready to educate this administration on the need for more sensible marijuana policies and share the many experiences states have had with the legalization of cannabis. Together, we will continue to work in a bipartisan manner to reform our failed marijuana policies and provide a voice for Americans who have overwhelmingly voted for a more sensible drug policy.”
It’s institutions like NORML, the Cannabis Caucus, and most importantly, your efforts as part of the democratic process that will prevent the rollback of progress in marijuana legalization. Don’t stop calling your members of Congress and getting involved locally. Do not accept this as a new normal. This is not normal. Smoking pot is NORML.
