Nearly three - quarters of voters said they disapprove of the government enforcing
federal marijuana laws in states that have legalized it either medically or recreationally.
The U.S. Justice Department's decision to turn a blind eye to the enforcement of
federal marijuana laws in states that authorize medical or even recreational use of the drug eventually may make it easier to use credit cards for such transactions, but a banking ban on legal pot sellers remains intact for now.
Spicer's comments regarding a crackdown came only hours after Quinnipiac University released a new poll, which found that 71 percent of all Americans would oppose efforts to enforce
federal marijuana laws in states with legalization.
Not exact matches
A U.S. Justice Department task force recently said the Cole Memorandum, which restricts
federal marijuana law enforcement
in states where pot is legal, should be reevaluated to see if it should be changed.
Federal law all but requires legal
marijuana to operate strictly
in cash, while
in Canada banks are helping that nation's cannabis industry boom.
Sessions»
marijuana policy will direct
federal prosecutors to enforce
federal laws against the drug, even
in states where voters and lawmakers have legalized recreational or medical use.
Jim Pishue, president of the Washington Bankers Association, points out that guidelines don't supersede
federal law, which categorizes
marijuana as a controlled substance that can not be legally sold anywhere
in the U.S. And guidance, he noted, can change at any time.
«There is still a
federal law that we need to abide by
in terms of recreational
marijuana and other drugs of that nature.»
On Monday and Tuesday of this week, Attorney General Sessions said that
marijuana sale and use is still against
federal law and said he does not think that cannabis is something that should be legalized, despite the fact that more than half of all states have some form of a regulated market already
in place and the majority of Americans agree that
marijuana prohibition should end.
The bill forbids local authorities from working with
federal agents, including using «agency money, facilities, property, equipment, or personnel to assist a
federal agency to investigate, detain, detect, report, or arrest a person for commercial or noncommercial
marijuana or medical cannabis activity that is authorized by
law in the State of California.»
In 2009, the Obama administration ordered
federal prosecutors not to prioritize legal action against medical
marijuana dispensaries that comply with state
laws.
The referendums come amid shifts
in American opinions on
marijuana in recent years that have energized efforts to legalize cannabis, a drug that remains illegal under
federal law even as Colorado and Washington state have been given the go - ahead to experiment with legalization.
Marijuana is illegal under
federal law, but so far eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized the drug for recreational use, while 28 states
in total have legalized medical cannabis.
In a recent court case, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Department of Justice is prohibited from using
federal funds to prosecute businesses who operate within state
laws regarding medical
marijuana.
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders want regulators to stop penalizing legitimate vendors hired by
marijuana businesses left
in a legal gray area between state and
federal law.
Also on Thursday, Quinnipiac University released a new poll showing that 71 % of American voters — including 55 % of Republican voters — say they oppose the government enforcing
federal laws banning
marijuana in states that have already legalized the drug for either medical or recreational purposes.
Even so, much remains open to interpretation, but Sessions made it clear that he is not ruling out prosecuting people who violate
federal law, even if they are
in compliance with their state's
laws in regard to medical
marijuana.
The survey found that 64 percent of Republican voters
in Iowa, 67 percent
in New Hampshire, and 66 percent
in South Carolina support states that want to carry out their own
marijuana laws without fear of
federal law.
The Democratic senator's proposed legislation will face an unlikely road to passage, considering that most lawmakers (including those
in the White House) are reluctant to end the drug's
federal prohibition, but the bill is still the latest attempt by a prominent politician to update
federal marijuana laws at a time when a clear majority of Americans support legalization.
And because individual states could still prohibit
marijuana locally, Booker's bill would also incentivize states to change their
marijuana laws by withholding
federal funding from any states that have enforced
laws against the drug
in ways that disproportionately affect low - income citizens and people of color.
Even
in recreational -
marijuana states like Florida, growers have to pay
in cash because banks fear falling afoul of
federal drug - money
laws.
More recently,
in January 2018, Attorney General Sessions issued a
Marijuana Enforcement Memorandum that rescinded the Cole Memorandum, and allows federal prosecutors to decide how to prioritize enforcement of federal mariju
Marijuana Enforcement Memorandum that rescinded the Cole Memorandum, and allows
federal prosecutors to decide how to prioritize enforcement of
federal marijuanamarijuana laws.
Banks and insurance companies refuse to do business with cannabis companies because
marijuana is illegal under
federal law and most financial institutions are federally insured, forcing
marijuana businesses to operate
in cash.
In essence, Holder and others at the Justice Department said they would not enforce federal drug regulation laws when it comes to marijuana - related transactions in states that authorize and closely regulate cannabis sale
In essence, Holder and others at the Justice Department said they would not enforce
federal drug regulation
laws when it comes to
marijuana - related transactions
in states that authorize and closely regulate cannabis sale
in states that authorize and closely regulate cannabis sales.
In explaining the rationale of greater enforcement of
federal marijuana laws, Spicer cited growing problems with other illicit drug use.
In his confirmation hearings, Sessions acknowledged that disrupting states
marijuana markets by enforcing
federal marijuana laws could create a strain on
federal resources.
Aphria stood as one of the few major
marijuana growers
in Canada that established significant operations
in the U.S.. However, the company has taken steps to reduce its U.S. exposure after the Toronto Stock Exchange threatened to delist the stocks of members with ongoing business activities that violate U.S.
federal marijuana laws.
Tom Angell, of the pro-
marijuana legalization group
Marijuana Majority, said
in an email that «while most of our
federal gains to date have been through amendments attached to much broader spending bills, I'm hopeful that with the growing number of states changing their
laws these stand - alone bills [like Garrett's] will get enough traction to at least finally start getting hearings.»
Pot remains illegal under
federal law, and Sessions» new direction lets
federal prosecutors
in states where
marijuana is legal decide how aggressively to enforce that
law.
Even though many states have decriminalized
marijuana to some degree (including recreational use
in some states),
federal law still says it is a controlled substance that is illegal to possess
in most cases.
Laufer reassures us, «The Obama administration and the DOJ have issued the Cole Memo, which deprioritizes
federal criminal prosecutions of
marijuana crimes, when commercial operators are operating
in accordance with state
laws.»
Even though 23 states have decriminalized
marijuana to some degree (including recreational use
in some states),
federal law still says it is a controlled substance that is illegal to possess
in most cases.
In the particular example of laws regarding marijuana, there is a federal law banning its possession or sale in most cases, but some states do not impose a state law against i
In the particular example of
laws regarding
marijuana, there is a
federal law banning its possession or sale
in most cases, but some states do not impose a state law against i
in most cases, but some states do not impose a state
law against it.
So even
in states that have legalized
marijuana for some or all purposes, it is still illegal under
federal law.
Yet another courtroom battle promises to pull the White House into the legal spotlight today as crucial arguments are heard
in New York
in a sweeping lawsuit that is challenging the administration's
marijuana policy by seeking to legalize pot under
federal law.
A
federal judge
in New York tossed out a sweeping lawsuit that sought to make
marijuana legal under
federal law, ruling that the plaintiffs had failed to take the necessary first step of asking the DEA to remove cannabis from its list of dangerous substances.
Marijuana use is illegal under
federal law but allowed
in some cases
in dozens of states.
Erik Williams, director of government and community affairs for Gaia Plant - Based Medicine, a leading purveyor of medical
marijuana in Colorado, said «it's not realistic to expect interstate transportation of
marijuana medicine,» noting that
federal drug
laws bar its movement across state lines.
Village Sensations of Nanuet is one of 16 stores
in 12 counties being sued by the New York State Attorney General's Office for mislabeling substances such as synthetic
marijuana and bath salts
in order to get around
federal and state
laws.
While
federal law still makes the possession, production and sale of
marijuana a crime, Holder's announcement means the Justice Department won't file lawsuits against state
laws in Colorado and Washington that allow people to possess
marijuana for personal use.
Federal prosecutors are describing the 10 - suspect indictment, announced Wednesday morning, as the «largest
law enforcement action» taken
in New York City against synthetic
marijuana, which is often packaged as «K2» and «Spice.»
This whole medicinal pot issue is a little thorny, since
marijuana is illegal under
federal law — period, end of story, even
in states that have passed legislation or ballot initiatives making the drug legal for use by people who are sick, those individuals are still subject to arrest by
federal officials for possession or cultivation.
But legalizing recreational
marijuana has become popular
in recent years even though
federal laws still prohibit the drug.
Gillibrand is one of three senators introducing a bill that would scale back
federal enforcement of
marijuana laws in states that have legalized medicinal or recreational pot.
In addition to removing
marijuana from the list of controlled substances, the act looks to incentivize states through
federal funds to change
laws that may unfairly impact low - income individuals and people of color.
Though the
federal government has signaled it will not enforce those
laws in states that have made
marijuana legal, state Sen. Diane Savino said U.S. attorneys would have the
law behind them
in an enforcement action.
Finally, because
marijuana is still illegal
in most states and under
federal law, people who possess or sell
marijuana may face legal consequences.
The guidance paper, jointly published this month
in ACOEM's Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (JOEM) and AAOHN's journal Workplace Health & Safety, summarizes current evidence regarding
marijuana consumption; discusses possible side effects, including temporary impairment as it relates to the workplace; reviews existing
federal and state
laws that impact employers; and suggests various strategies available for monitoring
marijuana use among employees.
Please note: Transplant patients should not use
marijuana as a therapy without the consent of their physician and should only do so
in compliance with any and all local, state and
federal laws.
Especially around parenting issues — there are still child custody problems
in states with progressive
marijuana policies, because child custody
laws can still be beholden to
federal policy, and
marijuana is a schedule I drug.