The post Jeff Sessions’ Anti-Pot Federal Crackdown Is In Full Force appeared first on High Times.
When President-elect Donald Trump nominated Jeff Sessions to serve as the US Attorney General, marijuana advocates began bracing for the worst. Sessions is a well-known hardliner when it comes to marijuana policy. His quip that he thought the KKK was “okay, until I found out they smoked pot,” is infamous. And it was a clear indication of Sessions’ ideology and law enforcement priorities. But until today, the 11 months since Sessions’ Senate confirmation have been mostly quiet with respect to state-legal weed. After an announcement today, however, it’s clear this was just the calm before the storm. As of today, Jeff Sessions’ anti-pot federal crackdown is in full force.
Jeff Sessions’ Anti-Pot Federal Crackdown Is In Full Force
On the west coast, Californians rang in the new year with the full rollout of the state’s legal marijuana program. As of January 1, anyone 21 and over in California can legally purchase, possess, and privately consume cannabis. It’s the beginning of what many expect to be the world’s largest legal marijuana market.
And it’s not just California. Across the nation, states legislatures are introducing bills which aim to legalize cannabis in some form. Whether it’s expanding medical access or introducing recreational use laws, states are taking action to represent their constituents, a majority of whom think weed should be legal. 2017 already saw a windfall of such legislative initiatives, and 2018 promises to deliver even more.
In the meantime, the legal cannabis has blossomed into a sophisticated, well-funded and widely popular industry. Revenue from taxes on companies and sales has funded schools, educational programs, infrastructure and law enforcement