Trump Administration Takes Step That Could Threaten Marijuana Legalization Movement

One campaign promise made by President Trump was to respect state's rights and allow state legal marijuana programs to continue to operate unencumbered, but many are questioning the truth to his intentions after this week when Attorney General Jeff Sessions lifted legal protections meant to stop the federal government from prosecuting state legal marijuana programs. The White House claims Trump still believes in upholding state's rights, but also that "we have to enforce federal law".  It's unfortunate that the industry regulations are only getting more confusing while many businesses are concerned for their future. But officials are not giving up easily as many people fight the poor reasoning for moving efforts from real crimes like heroin enforcement or sex trafficking, to shutting down state regulation following legal cannabis businesses.

“It is the mission of the Department of Justice to enforce the laws of the United States, and the previous issuance of guidance undermines the rule of law,” he said in a statement. In his memo to United States attorneys, he called the earlier policy “unnecessary” and pointed to federal laws that “reflect Congress’s determination that marijuana is a dangerous drug and that marijuana activity is a serious crime.”

“With no prior notice to Congress, the Justice Department has trampled on the will of the voters in CO and other states,” Mr. Gardner wrote on Twitter, adding: “I am prepared to take all steps necessary, including holding DOJ nominees, until the Attorney General lives up to the commitment he made to me prior to his confirmation.”

The White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, maintained that President Trump was not going back on a campaign promise to refrain from using federal authority to shut down sales of recreational marijuana in states where they were legal.