U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions
expressed his opposition to legalization, but stopped short of saying that there would be a federal crack down on state-legal businesses. Behind closed doors, Politico reports, Sessions
has reassured Senators that no such operation is forthcoming.
In other Sessions news, the attorney general
recused himself from any investigation related to Russia hacking the 2016 presidential election. Sessions announced the decision after the Washington Post reported that he had two meetings with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. during the campaign that he did not disclose to the Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing.
Oregon lawmakers are
moving to protect cannabis users’ personal information from the federal government. Proposed legislation would require dispensaries to destroy customers’ personal information within 48 hours. California is
bracing for a fight as well.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D)
defended legalization’s economic benefits. Colorado lawmakers are
moving towards allowing pot cafes.
McClatchey reports that federal actions against the industry could “
blow a hole in state budgets.”
Nevada’s U.S. Senators, Dean Heller (R) and Catherine Cortez-Masto (D) wrote to Sessions requesting that he
protect state’s rights on marijuana. Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner (R)
expressed similar views.
Freshman Virginia Congressman Tom Garrett (R) introduced legislation to
decriminalize nationwide.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) said the state would “
confront” the administration if there’s a crackdown. “If states really are the laboratories of Democracy, which I think they are, let’s let this experiment go a couple more years,” he told Vice.
Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman (R), a former legalization opponent,
invited Sessions to visit Colorado and learn about the industry. Nevada officials
appear undeterred about moving forward with REC.
University of Denver law professor Sam Kamin called the Trump administration’s position “
nonsensical.”
Legalization activists criticized Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker for saying state policy is in a “
no man’s land” following the state’s vote to legalize REC in November. They say Baker, who opposed legalization, is stalling.
California cannabis czar Lori Ajax said the state will
start issuing REC licenses on schedule by January 1, 2018.
Louisiana’s MED program
faces significant headwinds. Alaska’s pot tax revenue
fell in January. There are
many unanswered questions in Maine; the state has
reached out to the White House for clarity on its plans.
Proposed rules in Ohio
would measure MED by THC content rather than weight.
The U.N.’s International Narcotics Control Board has warned the U.S. and Canada that legalization is
incompatible with their treaty commitments.
Germany expects to
start growing MED in 2019.
