Attorney General Nominee Sessions Responds to Questions on Cannabis Laws and Enforcement

By Keith Mansur

Oregon Cannabis Connection

January 10, 2017 – Senator Jeff Sessions today testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary committee in confirmation hearings for him to be the top cop in the united states, the U.S. Attorney General. Sessions confirmation is expected to go through by most experts accounts, but there was substantial consternation by marijuana legalization advocates about statements made during the hearing.

Senator Sessions, who has indicated a serious dislike for cannabis in the past, and even said that, “good people don’t use marijuana”, made comments during the hearing that indicated he would not necessarily continue with the leeway allowed marijuana states in the now famous Cole memo.

When pressed on the subject by Senator Mike Lee (R) UT, Session said, “One obvious concern is the United States Congress has made the possession in every state and distribution an illegal act. If that’s something that’s not desired any longer Congress should pass a law to change the rule. It is not so much the Attorney General’s job to decide what laws to enforce. We should do our job and enforce laws as effectively as we are able.”

Under the Obama administration a balancing point was reached with the Cole memo, after years of raids, arrests, and convictions in medical marijuana states. When Colorado and Washington legalized adult use of cannabis in 2012, the Cole memo was the result.

President-elect Donald Trump has indicated that he supports the medical use of cannabis, and the rights of states in reference to marijuana, but has also indicated that recreational use is a big problem. Trump said during the 2016 CPAC Conference, “Medical marijuana is another thing, but I think [recreational marijuana is] bad. And I feel strongly about that.”

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