https://www.apnews.com/19f6bfec15a74733b40eaf0ff9162bfa
WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Jeff Sessions is rescinding the Obama-era policy that had paved the way for legalized marijuana to flourish in states across the country, two people with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press. Sessions will instead let federal prosecutors where pot is legal decide how aggressively to enforce federal marijuana law, the people said.
The people familiar with the plan spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it before an announcement expected Thursday.
The move by President Donald Trump’s attorney general likely will add to confusion about whether it’s OK to grow, buy or use marijuana in states where pot is legal, since long-standing federal law prohibits it. It comes days after pot shops opened in California, launching what is expected to become the world’s largest market for legal recreational marijuana and as polls show a solid majority of Americans believe the drug should be legal.
While Sessions has been carrying out a Justice Department agenda that follows Trump’s top priorities on such issues as immigration and opioids, the changes to pot policy reflect his own concerns. Trump’s personal views on marijuana remain largely unknown.
Sessions, who has assailed marijuana as comparable to heroin and has blamed it for spikes in violence, had been expected to ramp up enforcement. Pot advocates argue that legalizing the drug eliminates the need for a black market and would likely reduce violence, since criminals would no longer control the marijuana trade.
The Obama administration in 2013 announced it would not stand in the way of states that legalize marijuana, so long as officials acted to keep it from migrating to places where it remained outlawed and out of the hands of criminal gangs and children. Sessions is rescinding that memo, written by then-Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole, which had cleared up some of the uncertainty about how the federal government would respond as states began allowing sales for recreational and medical purposes.
The pot business has since become a sophisticated, multimillion-dollar industry that helps fund schools, educational programs and law enforcement. Eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use, and California’s sales alone are projected to bring in $1 billion annually in tax revenue within several years...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: good at drinking water infinite ignorance
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 10:28 am
beat ya by a minute
beat ya by a minute
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: That’s Nancy with the laughin’ face Nancyinthesky
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 10:29 am
It's okay, Lurker creep will
It's okay, Dr. Lurker creep will still feel compelled to respond to MY breaking news. He doesn't believe the news reports.
>So nancy the sky is falling lol .The neighbors grew 1500 lbs all trimmed and sold . I have 4 customers that have done the same 3 /500 lb harvests this summer . I guess the feds couldn't get their shit together to come to humboldt and eradicate the 3500 seen on goolge earth illegal grows and the 1800 permitted grows just in humboldt. .
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lucky Day Timmy Hoover
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 10:34 am
I would love to bump into
I would love to bump into Sessions in a dark alley. I’d go all Cryotte when he got jumped by two black guys on him.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: That’s Nancy with the laughin’ face Nancyinthesky
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 10:37 am
https://www.nytimes.com/2018
More 'fake' news for the 'legal' Pot Growers with their heads in the sand
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/us/politics/marijuana-legalization-ju...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call" Knotesau
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 10:41 am
Is Harborside closing?
Is Harborside closing?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: ogkb pyramidheat
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 10:44 am
this is the best they got w/o
this is the best they got w/o full blown raids-won't affect legal states, may intimidate states debating on whether to go green while trump n co is prez. imo.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: That’s Nancy with the laughin’ face Nancyinthesky
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 10:45 am
NPR
NPR
Twitter › NPR
Attorney General Jeff Sessions is rescinding Obama-era Justice Department guidelines that aimed to not interfere in states that had legalized marijuana. The new change in policy was confirmed to NPR’s @relucasz.
18 minutes ago
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: New & Improved nedb
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 10:48 am
So much for states' rights,
So much for states' rights, right?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-states-rights-that-trump-doe...
States’ rights have long been a rallying cry for conservatives. The Trump administration cited its respect for the states in rescinding Obama administration guidance treating discrimination against transgender students as sex discrimination. Attorney General Jeff Sessions invoked the same principle in questioning federal consent decrees designed to ensure constitutional policing in cities such as Chicago and Baltimore. And when the Supreme Court relied on states’ rights to gut the Voting Rights Act, then-Sen. Sessions applauded the decision, calling it “good news . . . for the South.” In earlier periods, states’ rights arguments were advanced to resist desegregation and federal legislation protecting workers and consumers...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call" Knotesau
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 10:51 am
So we have to wait and see
So we have to wait and see what people do?
breaking news wait and see what people do
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Bluelight Odysseus
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 10:52 am
I'm with Timmy.
I'm with Timmy.
Revolt!
Trump will buckle when he sees the masses, just to change the subject of collusion and treason for a day.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: smiley 73guy
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 10:52 am
doc martin isnt going to like
doc martin isnt going to like this, but will act tough, pretending this wont change how the humbolt homies roll. hopefully we get a reference to vigilante justice and the picture of the biker doing a wheelie.
fingers crossed.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call" Knotesau
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 10:58 am
Is Humboldt cracking down? Is
Is Humboldt cracking down? Is that the breaking news.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: New & Improved nedb
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 11:01 am
Slacker... go kick some rocks
Slacker... go kick some rocks or something.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call" Knotesau
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 11:03 am
Who's getting busted first?
Who's getting busted first? Oregon?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: ogkb pyramidheat
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 11:06 am
im currently listening to the
im currently listening to the vermont legislature debate legalizing homegrown in the state-vote today.
funny shit.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: New & Improved nedb
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 11:14 am
Read the article and report
Read the article and report back to us, Slacker.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call" Knotesau
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 11:17 am
No.
No.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: eastcoastneil VTGDF/NFA
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 11:23 am
^^ What a joke right Pyramid,
^^^ What a joke right Pyramid, its such a stupid piece of LEg. Thanks for debating over tiny tiny amounts of dried herb and our 2 mature plants we may some day be able to grow. What a fucking joke it is here. The people that are in on the fight is a stupid ass company called Heady Vermont....WTF They do fixed Prix CBD dinners and do 20% off CBD herb with a college id.....CBD is like the big bandwagon thing to do here in VT, its just looked at as a thing that if u have pain or anything anywhere or whatever just smoke it. Thanks fo making a serious issue a joke. I hate those guys
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: ogkb pyramidheat
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 11:29 am
^haha, i agree. it is a joke,
^haha, i agree. it is a joke, but vermont seems like a complete joke as well, in terms of anything cannabis, especially for a state that has a living and breathing cannabis culture.
the hemp cbd thing in VT cracks us up-everyone trying to make bank off that BS. imo, since its everywhere in vt, it's just gonna confuse people when we do eventually go full legal, and there are real cbd strains that have profound effects, w/ tiny amounts of THC, way more beneficial than hemp derived cbd.
i follow vermont companies on instagram that show themselves smoking the hemp cbd strains. it looks fucking terrible imo. haha.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: eastcoastneil VTGDF/NFA
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 11:40 am
^ I agree as well. it is a
^ I agree as well. it is a complete joke here. Gov Scott is so obcessed with drivers who will be high, and says that will skyrocket. Add that to the Sensible Marijuana Use council we have here and its just beuracratic BS up and down the state of VT. Idk how ppl are making money off of something thats 200 to 400 a pound and add that to al lyour over head and workers WTF?? LOL Ive talked to numerous kids who do this and there is no way in hell you can have a legit convo with them because they are right. End of story. We need the money here from the sales big time just like Maine, who blindl;y let that shit pass. I drive by places in MAine that were seriously shacks a year ago and now these people have real houses. Dont see whats wrong with that at all. BUt, IMO itll be along long time untill we see legalization here
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: ... Voodoo Chile
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 12:25 pm
Back to the original post,
BTTOP, the AG office says they will in force the laws on the books.
I see this as a way to force Congress to act on legislation that will take this out of the AG's hands.
Which is what should be done.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: An organ grinder’s tune Turtle
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 02:23 pm
i need pot too cope with all
i need pot to cope with all the stupid fucking drivers here.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: eastcoastneil VTGDF/NFA
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 05:44 pm
VT house is still in session
VT house is still in session voting as we speak, so we will see....
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: ogkb pyramidheat
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 05:46 pm
same as last year, this shit
same as last year, this shit is soooooo ridiculous.
people saying they have the votes for the homegrown bill to pass tho...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: ogkb pyramidheat
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 05:47 pm
for anyone who wants a laugh.
for anyone who wants a laugh....
(house stream)
http://digital.vpr.net/#stream/5
dude just said doobie, awesome.
a woman earlier said an ounce will produce 1300 joints, haha, can't make this shit up.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: eastcoastneil VTGDF/NFA
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 06:26 pm
it just passed 84 to 63 i
it just passed 84 to 63 i believe it was, final approval next week
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: That’s Nancy with the laughin’ face Nancyinthesky
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 07:04 pm
>...What comes next?
>...What comes next? Prosecutions—big ones. Eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use. In light of state law and the Cole memo, growers and distributors have made no effort to conceal their businesses. They’re sitting ducks. Federal prosecutors can easily charge them with possession, distribution, even racketeering. Participants in the cannabis economy face decades in prison for doing their job. Prosecutors could also go after individual users who obtain their marijuana openly and lawfully, scaring customers back to the black market, which will undoubtedly prosper from Sessions’ move.
Congress can, and should, forestall these consequences in a few different ways. First, Congress can simply prohibit the DOJ from spending money prosecuting those who comply with state-level recreational marijuana laws. Congress has already done exactly that for medical marijuana, barring the Justice Department from targeting medical users, growers, and distributors who follow state law. It could easily do the same for recreational cannabis, as well.
Second, Congress could reschedule marijuana. This update is long overdue. Currently, marijuana is a Schedule 1 substance, alongside heroin and cocaine. That’s ridiculous. Schedule 1 drugs have no medical use and high potential for abuse—neither of which is true for marijuana. A lower schedule for the substance would lessen penalties and permit more medical trials.
Third, Congress could repeal the federal ban on marijuana and leave the issue to the states, while continuing to proscribe unlawful production and trafficking. That’s the best long-term solution to America’s current cannabis conundrum, and it will almost certainly happen within a decade given that 64 percent of Americans think the drug should be legal.
Until Congress takes action, Sessions and his prosecutors—many of them hand-picked by him—have an extraordinary amount of power to penalize the cannabis industry. If the attorney general did not plan to use that power, he could have kept Cole in place or modified its priorities.
Instead, he restored the status quo from an era when only two states had legalized. Unless Congress stops him, Sessions is about to turn thousands of Americans into federal criminals.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/01/jeff-sessions-prepares-a-cra...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call" Knotesau
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 07:21 pm
He did it for show because
He did it for show because his boss be buggin'.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sideshow Bob drkstrjry
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 09:36 pm
Lots o' TrumpTards I know are
Lots o' TrumpTards I know are BIG TIME weed smokers, and are typically the type who smoke Compulsively and will literally climb the walls pulling down the draperies when they're out. They've all been in blissful Denial about this. So hopefully this backfires BIG TIME on Trump & Co.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Strangha Slickrock
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 10:08 pm
The reaction from Congress,
The reaction from Congress, including many Republicans, indicates this directive may be short-lived. Or never enforced. But even if not enforced, it's still a chilling threat to progress.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/politicians-react-jeff-sessions-rev...
Too many states making waaaaay too much money. Lots of po'd governors.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Dr. Benway daylight
on Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 11:22 pm
im exited for legalization
im exited for legalization but at the same time ive got my foot hovering over the gas pedal just waiting for that sweet, sweet black market money to drop.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Strangha Slickrock
on Friday, January 5, 2018 – 11:25 am
Pot stocks are rebounding
Pot stocks are rebounding today after a disastrous Thursday. The push back against the elf is big.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Doc Ellis Martin Lurker
on Friday, January 5, 2018 – 11:33 am
Canadian pot stocks have been
Canadian pot stocks have been solid .State licenses keep rolling out . The feds have been trying to stop the Emerald Triangle for 50 years hasn't worked yet !
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam joe
on Friday, January 5, 2018 – 12:08 pm
I met two county cops at work
I met two county cops at work last night for a false alarm. They seemed at ease being in a building with 3000 weed plants and I didn't leave in handcuffs.
Hopefully with the Cole Memo rescind, Sessions will put a stop to this insanity; the US needs more prisoners!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: smiley 73guy
on Friday, January 5, 2018 – 01:23 pm
<<<The feds have been trying
<<<The feds have been trying to stop the Emerald Triangle for 50 years hasn't worked yet !
::twists nipple::
that's the stuff!
like clockwork.
I swear I could post for 80 % of you and no one would know the difference.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High Surfdead
on Friday, January 5, 2018 – 01:36 pm
Maybe you are.
Maybe you are.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Fly Fly
on Friday, January 5, 2018 – 02:39 pm
this news is mildly upsetting
this news is mildly upsetting but not unexpected. i think it is a bit dangerous politically. it shouldnt impact me directly but it sux for others for many reasons. i just dont want to go backwards.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Pedro! PeterT23
on Friday, January 5, 2018 – 02:48 pm
And of course, we're all
And of course, we're all exercised about pot instead of watching the bullshit clouds grow as we head for the inevitable and disastrous war with Iran....
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lucky Day Timmy Hoover
on Friday, January 5, 2018 – 02:59 pm
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Fly Fly
on Friday, January 5, 2018 – 02:59 pm
yeah, well there is that.
nevermind.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: That’s Nancy with the laughin’ face Nancyinthesky
on Friday, January 5, 2018 – 03:31 pm
I didn’t see the thread about
I didn’t see the thread about Iran, Pedro. But if we are destined to go to war, we definitely need the pot, more than ever.