{"id":7304,"date":"2017-03-24T01:20:47","date_gmt":"2017-03-24T01:20:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.denverpost.com?p=2588378&amp;preview_id=2588378"},"modified":"2017-03-24T01:20:47","modified_gmt":"2017-03-24T01:20:47","slug":"federal-marijuana-playbook-trump-administrations-tough-talk-and-what-we-know-so-far","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/federal-marijuana-playbook-trump-administrations-tough-talk-and-what-we-know-so-far\/","title":{"rendered":"Federal marijuana playbook: Trump administration\u2019s tough talk and what we know so far"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"wp_fb_like_button\" style=\"margin:5px 0 5px 5px;float:right;height:100px;\"><script src=\"http:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\"><\/script><fb:like href=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/federal-marijuana-playbook-trump-administrations-tough-talk-and-what-we-know-so-far\/\" send=\"true\" layout=\"standard\" width=\"450\" show_faces=\"false\" font=\"arial\" action=\"like\" colorscheme=\"light\"><\/fb:like><\/div><div class=\"row\" id=\"sticky-outer\">\n<div class=\"large-11 small-12 columns\">\n<div class=\"entry-meta-date\">Published: Mar 23, 2017, 6:12 pm \u2022 Updated: Mar 23, 2017, 6:58 pm<span class=\"single-comments-link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/23\/federal-marijuana-trump-administration-tough-talk-jeff-sessions\/76000\/#disqus_thread\" class=\"commentsNameLink\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<p class=\"byline\"><em>Cannabist Staff<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>A timeline of federal marijuana talk<\/h3>\n<p>\nIt\u2019s been one month since we heard the first public words from the Trump administration regarding marijuana. While we have yet to hear from President Donald Trump himself on this issue or the exact plans of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, there has been a lot to take in. Here\u2019s a review of the biggest statements, the clearest responses and a handy guide to The Cannabist\u2019s analyses and explainers.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>February 23:<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/02\/23\/sean-spicer-marijuana-medical-recreational-trump-administration\/74255\/\">White House press secretary Sean Spicer takes a Skype question from an Arkansas reporter about the state\u2019s new medical marijuana law, and replies:<\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a big difference between (medical marijuana) and recreational marijuana, and I think when you see something like the opioid addiction crisis blossoming in so many states around this country, the last thing we should be doing is encouraging people.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> When asked about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/02\/24\/transcript-sean-spicer-doj-marijuana-recreational-medical\/74369\/\"> increased enforcement<\/a> around recreational marijuana, Spicer said: <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s a question for the Department of Justice. I do believe that you\u2019ll see greater enforcement of it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure class=\"figure wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/federal-marijuana-playbook-trump-administrations-tough-talk-and-what-we-know-so-far.jpg\" alt=\"White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer holds the daily briefing Feb. 23, 2017, at the White House in Washington, D.C. (Aaron P. Bernstein, Getty Images)\" width=\"3500\" height=\"2333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-74356\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer holds the daily briefing Feb. 23, 2017, at the White House in Washington, D.C. (Aaron P. Bernstein, Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>+ Social media <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/02\/23\/white-house-marijuana-social-media-comments\/74301\/\">proceeded to explode.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>+ Also speaking out after Spicer\u2019s presser were <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/02\/24\/cannabis-industry-sean-spicer-comments\/74374\/\">several members of Congress and the cannabis industry.<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>February 26: <\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/02\/27\/colorado-governor-hickenlooper-marijuana-legalization-trump\/74413\/\">Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper appears on \u201cMeet the Press\u201d and tells moderator Chuck Todd:<\/a> <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\n\u201cOur voters passed (marijuana legalization) 55-45. It\u2019s in our constitution.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Todd asked, \u201cYou don\u2019t think it\u2019s clear that the federal government could stop you?\u201d <br \/>\u201cExactly,\u201d Hickenlooper replied.<\/p>\n<h3>February 27:<\/h3>\n<p>\nAttorney General Jeff Sessions, who <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/01\/10\/jeff-sessions-confirmation-hearing-marijuana-enforcement-first-day\/71005\/\">had been vague about marijuana strategy at his Senate confirmation hearing,<\/a> finally <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/02\/27\/jeff-sessions-federal-marijuana-policy\/74493\/\">broke his silence when talking with reporters:<\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cExperts are telling me there\u2019s more violence around marijuana than one would think. \u2026 You can\u2019t sue somebody for a drug debt. The only way to get your money is through strong-arm tactics, and violence tends to follow that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>He said that the Justice Department will try to adopt \u201cresponsible policies\u201d for enforcement of federal anti-marijuana laws:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI am definitely not a fan of expanded use of marijuana. \u2026 I would just say, it does remain a violation of federal law to distribute marijuana throughout any place in the United States, whether a state legalizes it or not.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>+ That same day, Colorado Senate President Pro Tem <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/02\/27\/trump-legal-marijuana-colorado-gop\/74461\/\">Jerry Sonnenberg, the chamber\u2019s No. 2 Republican and a Trump supporter, told reporters<\/a>: <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not sure I\u2019d put too much thought or too much credit into what (Spicer) was saying. This president has been all about federalism and giving the states more authority, this just flies in the face of that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>He added:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cColorado has been the leader when it comes to marijuana and the regulation. \u2026 I don\u2019t think our new president will turn his back on allowing states to do what they need to do, whether (marijuana) or anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3>February 28:<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"figure wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/federal-marijuana-playbook-trump-administrations-tough-talk-and-what-we-know-so-far-1.jpg\" alt=\"Jeff Sessions US Attorney General\" width=\"1000\" height=\"693\" class=\"size-full wp-image-74542\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks at the National Association of Attorneys General annual winter meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, in Washington, D.C. (Alex Brandon, The Associated Press)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/02\/28\/jeff-sessions-marijuana-legalization-to-nations-ags\/74535\/\">Sessions speaks to the nation\u2019s attorneys general at their annual meeting, and says:<\/a> <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI, as you know, am dubious about marijuana. States can pass whatever laws they choose, but I\u2019m not sure we\u2019re going to be a better, healthier nation if we have marijuana being sold at every corner grocery store. \u2026 We don\u2019t need to be legalizing marijuana.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3>March 1: <\/h3>\n<p>Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman invites Sessions to come visit a recreational marijuana state and \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/01\/colorado-attorney-general-jeff-sessions-cynthia-coffman\/74644\/\">see what we have done<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>March 2: <\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/02\/federal-marijuana-prohibition-states-rights-bill\/74718\/\">Virginia U.S. Representative introduces bill to end federal marijuana prohibition<\/a>: Republican Rep. Thomas Garrett\u2019s bill seeks to remove marijuana from the federal Controlled Substances Act and resolve the existing conflict between federal and state laws over medical or recreational use of the drug. It would not legalize the sale and use of marijuana in all 50 states \u2013 it would simply allow states to make their own decisions on marijuana policy without the threat of federal interference.<\/p>\n<p>+ <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/02\/marijuana-department-of-justice-senators-letter\/74797\/\">11 U.S. senators urge feds to stick with current DOJ marijuana policy<\/a>: Legislators from Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nevada, and New Jersey signed the letter.<\/p>\n<p>+ Meanwhile <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/02\/jeff-sessions-russia-resign-democrats\/74687\/\"> other top Democrats call for Sessions to resign<\/a>, not over marijuana but because of his conversations with Russia during the presidential campaign.<\/p>\n<h3>March 3: <\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/03\/marijuana-consumer-privacy-oregon\/74828\/\">Oregon lawmakers rush to protect weed consumers\u2019 info from feds:<\/a> The committee that crafts Oregon\u2019s pot policies proposed legislation that requires marijuana businesses to destroy customers\u2019 personal information, such as names, addresses and birth dates, gathered for marketing purposes, within 48 hours.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><i>(Article continues below video)<\/i><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>March 9: <\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/10\/jeff-sessions-doj-marijuana-laws-rico\/75416\/\">Sessions appears on a conservative talk show (Hugh Hewitt) and says: <\/a> <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p> \u201cMarijuana is against federal law, and that applies in states where they may have repealed their own anti-marijuana laws. So yes, we will enforce law in an appropriate way nationwide.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Some observers took heart that he added:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not possible for the federal government, of course, to take over everything the local police used to do in a state that\u2019s legalized it.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> But then he returned to a prior theme:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p> \u201cAnd I\u2019m not in favor of legalization of marijuana. I think it\u2019s a more dangerous drug than a lot of people realize. I don\u2019t think we\u2019re going to be a better community if marijuana is sold in every corner grocery store.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Asked about whether he could send a message by bringing a RICO case against one retailer, Sessions said the Justice Department is analyzing its options:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\n\u201cWe\u2019ll be evaluating how we want to handle that. I think it\u2019s a little more complicated than one RICO case, I\u2019ve got to tell you. This, places like Colorado, it\u2019s just sprung up a lot of different independent entities that are moving marijuana. And it\u2019s also being moved interstate, not just in the home state. \u2026 And <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/tag\/nebraska-oklahoma-lawsuit\/\">neighbors (Oklahoma and Nebraska) are complaining, and filed lawsuits against them.<\/a> So it\u2019s a serious matter, in my opinion.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3>March 15: <\/h3>\n<figure class=\"figure wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/federal-marijuana-playbook-trump-administrations-tough-talk-and-what-we-know-so-far-2.jpg\" alt=\"nancy reagan just say no sessions\" width=\"1000\" height=\"620\" class=\"size-full wp-image-75992\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">First Lady Nancy Reagan waves to the crowd attending a \u201cJust Say No\u201d rally at the Kaiser Arena, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 1985, Oakland, Calif. (Paul Sakuma, Associated Press)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/15\/jeff-sessions-marijuana-federal-law-enforcement-opioids\/75602\/\"> Sessions speaks to law enforcement officials in Richmond, Virginia<\/a>: <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cWe have too much of a tolerance for drug use. We need to say, as Nancy Reagan said, \u2018Just say no.\u2019 There\u2019s no excuse for this, it\u2019s not recreational. Lives are at stake, and we\u2019re not going to worry about being fashionable. \u2026 I\u2019ve heard people say we could solve our heroin problem with marijuana. How stupid is that? Give me a break!\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>This was actually a toned-down version of his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/speech\/attorney-general-jeff-sessions-delivers-remarks-efforts-combat-violent-crime-and-restore\">prepared remarks<\/a>, which included the line: <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI am astonished to hear people suggest that we can solve our heroin crisis by legalizing marijuana \u2013 so people can trade one life-wrecking dependency for another that\u2019s only slightly less awful.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>After his speech, in a Q&amp;A session with reporters, Sessions said he was \u201cdubious\u201d of medical marijuana in general:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cMedical marijuana has been hyped, maybe too much.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><i>The big question that remains to be seen, is what Sessions meant, and how he will act on, the following part of his answers that day (emphasis ours):<\/i><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2014\/02\/14\/cole-memo-federal-law-enforcement-guidelines-on-marijuana-enforcement\/4733\/\">The Cole memorandum <\/a>set up some policies under President Obama\u2019s Department of Justice about how cases should be selected in those states and what would be appropriate for federal prosecution, <i>much of which I think is valid. \u2026 I may have some different ideas myself in addition to that<\/i>. \u2026 We\u2019re not able to go into a state and pick up the work that the police and sheriffs have been doing for decades.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>+ That night, during a telephone town hall, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/16\/colorado-marijuana-law-sessions-coffman-federal\/75690\/\">Colorado Rep. Mike Coffman says he\u2019ll \u201cfight the Attorney General\u201d if need be on marijuana<\/a>, suggesting he\u2019d use Congress\u2019 power to appropriate money for the DOJ budget<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>ANALYSIS: Marijuana in the age of Trump<\/h3>\n<p><i>Cannabist national policy and business reporter Alicia Wallace takes a deep dive into federal marijuana enforcement, talking with legal experts, policy analysts and industry insiders:<\/i><\/p>\n<p>+ Part 1: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/06\/trump-marijuana-legalization-industry-lobbyists\/74960\/\">\u2018Something\u2019s going to have to give\u2019: An untenable conflict between feds, legalized states<\/a><\/p>\n<p>+ Part 2: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/07\/federal-marijuana-enforcement-trump-administration-experts-questions\/74933\/\">Federal marijuana law enforcement: What you need to know<\/a><\/p>\n<p>+ Part 3: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/08\/supremacy-clause-states-rights-federal-marijuana-law\/75041\/\">What is the Supremacy Clause and what does it mean for states\u2019 rights to legalize marijuana?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>+ <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/02\/08\/attorney-general-jeff-sessions-marijuana-scenarios\/73321\/\">What will be AG Jeff Sessions\u2019 first move on marijuana?<\/a>(Q&amp;A with John Hudak, one of the nation\u2019s leading drug policy experts)<\/p>\n<p><b>MORE VIEWS<\/b><\/p>\n<p>+ <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/03\/trump-administration-marijuana-policy-recreational-medical\/74852\/\">Trump administration desire to separate recreational weed from medical is impractical at best<\/a><\/p>\n<p>+ <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/15\/jeff-sessions-medical-marijuana-trump\/75622\/\">Is Jeff Sessions at odds with President Trump on medical marijuana?<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><i>(Article continues below video)<\/i><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Primers<\/h3>\n<p>+ <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2014\/02\/14\/cole-memo-federal-law-enforcement-guidelines-on-marijuana-enforcement\/4733\/\">So what is the Cole Memo, anyway? Here are the current federal guidelines on marijuana law enforcement<\/a><\/p>\n<p>+ <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/03\/lists-federal-marijuana-laws-legislation-congressional-cannabis-caucus\/73878\/\">Guide to federal marijuana bills and members of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Medical marijuana and research news:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>+ <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/01\/sessions-marijuana-opioid-research\/74584\/\">Dear Jeff Sessions: Here\u2019s that science on marijuana and opioids you were asking for.<\/a> (A brief look at what we know and don\u2019t know about marijuana and opioid abuse.) <\/p>\n<p> + <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/01\/12\/marijuana-research-review-10000-studies-analyzed\/71215\/\">Assessing the scientific evidence: What is known about cannabis and health effects<\/a><\/p>\n<p> + <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/03\/16\/marijuana-research-health-studies-conflicting\/75696\/\">Why are there so many conflicting marijuana studies?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>+ <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecannabist.co\/2017\/02\/28\/medical-marijuana-opioid-epidemic-research\/74558\/\">Medical marijuana could help combat opioid epidemic<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\">[embedded content]<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- .row --> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s been one month since we heard the Trump administration&#8217;s first public comments about marijuana and AG Jeff Sessions&#8217; views. Here&#8217;s what we know so far. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6811,6964,6813,77,9,5019,1,3,6963,61,1736],"tags":[6816,6967,6818,2655,5022,6966],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7304"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7304"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7304\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7304"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7304"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7304"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}