Earlier today, Jeff Sessions cemented his role as Dart Vader in the cannabis universe when he announced he would rescind the Cole Memos which basically kept the federal government out of the legal cannabis industry.
His announcement comes days after California became the nation’s largest legal cannabis markets.
His announcement was met with swift rebuke from many in the Senate.
Sen. Cory Gardner from Colorado, had this to say via Twitter
This reported action directly contradicts what Attorney General Sessions told me prior to his confirmation. With no prior notice to Congress, the Justice Department has trampled on the will of the voters in CO and other states.
— Cory Gardner (@SenCoryGardner) January 4, 2018
I am prepared to take all steps necessary, including holding DOJ nominees, until the Attorney General lives up to the commitment he made to me prior to his confirmation.
— Cory Gardner (@SenCoryGardner) January 4, 2018
Gardner went a step further when he annlunced he will go to any means necessary to make Sessions hold up his promises to the people of Colorado.
Sen. Cory Gardner: “I will be putting today a hold on every single nomination from the Dept. of Justice until Attorney General Jeff Sessions lives up to the commitment that he made to me” on legalized marijuana in Colorado. https://t.co/NkJuIoh4fP pic.twitter.com/GSE8N85YoP
— ABC News (@ABC) January 4, 2018
Sen. Kamala Harris also chimed in
Instead of going after drug cartels, and violent crime, and major traffickers, Attorney General Jeff Sessions is going after recreational marijuana users. That’s not being smart on crime.https://t.co/BNlcxbTT4v
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 4, 2018
Many more added their feelings since the announcement
Dear Attorney General Jeff Sessions and @TheJusticeDept: Let me give you a list of things more important for federal prosecutors and federal law enforcement to pursue other than marijuana:
1. Basically anything. https://t.co/ctyJui7g4c
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) January 4, 2018
AG Jeff Sessions apparently wants to take America back to the 1920s. Prohibition didn’t work then and it will not work now. Congress needs to pass sensible laws to prevent a monumental waste of precious federal resources chasing Americans who use #cannabis. #thursdaythoughts https://t.co/GP3qPyKIve
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) January 4, 2018
No, Attorney General Sessions. Marijuana is not the same as heroin. No one who has seriously studied the issue believes that. Quite the contrary. We should allow states the right to move toward the decriminalization of marijuana, not reverse the progress that has been made.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 4, 2018
We’ll give Jeff Sessions our legal pot when he pries it from our warm, extremely interesting to look at hands. https://t.co/LF0RpdCiHG
— Colorado Senate Dems (@COSenDem) January 4, 2018
The marijuana industry supports hundreds of small businesses across our state.
Since legalization, marijuana has generated $617,767,334 in tax revenue. Instead of going to drug cartels, that money helps fund our schools and addiction treatment programs for more dangerous drugs.
— Colorado Senate Dems (@COSenDem) January 4, 2018
Instead of using taxpayer resources to go after a drug that’s safer than alcohol, Jeff Sessions should focus on political corruption and white collar crime. Seems like there’s plenty of that to go around in DC.
If only there was some way we could mellow him out 🤔
— Colorado Senate Dems (@COSenDem) January 4, 2018
This also seems to create another divide between Session’s and the D.O.J. and Donald Trump and the White House. Trump has been quoted as saying that marijuana regulation should be left up to the states.
