Activist Post – by Aaron Kesel
Attorney General Jeff Sessions suggested that the Department of Justice may crack down on people who grow and sell marijuana, even in the 29 states that legalized the plant, echoing the drawn-out argument that it is still against federal law.
Sessions made the non-surprising comments on conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt’s showafter Hewitt asked whether the Department of Justice (DOJ) would be prosecuting marijuana growers and dispensaries for being criminal enterprises under RICO.
“A lot of states are just simply breaking the law and a lot of money is being made and banked,” Hewitt said to Sessions of marijuana growers and sellers. “One Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations prosecution of one producer and the banks that service them would shut this all down. Is such a prosecution going to happen?”
Sessions told Hewitt that he didn’t think “one RICO prosecution would be quite as effective as that,” but said he doesn’t think states that legalized the drug had the right to ignore current federal laws that ban the sale of marijuana.
“I do not believe there’s any argument that because a state legalizes marijuana, that the federal law against marijuana is no longer in existence,” Sessions said. “I do believe that the federal laws clearly are in effect in all 50 states and we will do our best to enforce the laws as we’re required to do so.”
Federal laws currently classify marijuana as a Schedule I drug — the highest level of classification given to illegal drugs which unfairly puts it in the same category as heroin and ecstasy.
Sessions agrees with that classification and is against the legalization of medical marijuana.
“We need grown-ups in charge in Washington to say marijuana is not the kind of thing that ought to be legalized, it ought not to be minimized, that it’s in fact a very real danger,” Sessions said at a Senate hearing on recreational marijuana in April 2016.
Hewitt further asked Sessions whether there are any prosecutions coming for marijuana growers and sellers.
“One prosecution that invokes a Supremacy Clause against one large dope manufacturing concern, and follows the money as it normally would in any drug operation and seizes it, would shut, would chill all of this,” Hewitt told Sessions, referencing the Constitutional provision that says federal law is above state law. “But I haven’t seen one in nine months, yet. Is one coming?”
Sessions refused to answer the question stating he couldn’t comment on the existence of an investigation.
“I can’t comment on the existence of an investigation at this time, you know that, but I hear you,” Sessions said with a laugh. “You’re making a suggestion, I hear you.”
This comes as Congress recently blocked a bill to allow veterans with PTSD access to medical marijuana as a substitute to big pharma’s opioids. Despite Sessions’ opposition to legalization medical marijuana, the drug has been shown to reverse a decade of rising opioid deaths in Colorado.
However, Congress isn’t giving Sessions the funds that he wants to start his revival of the war against marijuana, as Congress itself has increased support for the legalization of the drug and has denied Sessions money to fight his new crusade.
Sessions himself has previously claimed that marijuana causes violence and ordered harsher sentencing of non-violent drug offenders.
“Most of you probably know I don’t think America is going to be a better place when more people of all ages and particularly young people start smoking pot,” Sessions said during an exchange with reporters at the Justice Department. “I believe it’s an unhealthy practice and current levels of THC in marijuana are very high compared to what they were a few years ago.”
“We’re seeing real violence around that,” Sessions said. “Experts are telling me there’s more violence around marijuana than one would think and there’s big money involved.”
Since Congress didn’t give Sessions any money to fight his war on drugs it remains to be seen how he will accomplish his goal; but his stance is clear as day: he hates marijuana users, sellers and growers despite the growing support to finally legalize the drug for medical use.
Aaron Kesel writes for Activist Post and is Director of Content for Coinivore. Follow Aaron at Twitterand Steemit.
This article is Creative Commons and can be republished in full with attribution. Like Activist Post onFacebook, subscribe on YouTube, follow on Twitter and at Steemit.
What a scumbag…
Hey Jeffy, I’m smoking a huge bowl of “Blue Train” right now as I type this 🙂 As close to an opiate high as I’ve ever found, it would be a huge help for this “opiate crisis” you bastards have concocted and plan to “fix”. He is half a chromosome away from full retard. Seriously, he has that “my family tree don’t fork…just a stump” look. I think he’s on his way out anyway…too many people are pissed he’s not doing the job he was hired to do, which was to “lock her up”. If he were to actually do it, TPTB would just simply release his internet history since ’93 which would implicate him as a fag bay packer who likes little boys. This is how they are able to control congress and the senate as well.
Lmao….its funny you say that! He reminds me of the kid in deliverance who is sitting on the bridge playing dueling banjos….we need to drag these pigs from their homes and string em up, aftrr all they have declared war on humanity we just need to fn fight back…..sigh….
I suspect that when Canada legalizes Marijuana next year nation wide, it will make other western democracies look at the cost vs. profit of a legal Marijuana market, and the USA might legalize it nation wide as well. But I also thought that the US would start using the metric system – so what do I know …
When it becomes necessary to replace said federalis , with an unemployment notice
What moral ground do they believe they have?
Your going to deny a sick patient from obtaining care?
I believe that makes them a criminal organization, that should be removed and prosecuted for their crimes against humanity
Humans have been using the plant for at least 5000 years ,but you know what’s best for us right Jeff. I’ve got some raspberry cough that is gonna be ready soon,should be some primo shit.
Legalised state cannabis is gun control. You can’t choose both. It’s either weed or no guns for you. A medical cannabis card isn’t your friend. Jeff Sessions is full of crap. He’s not going to do a thing.
Touching their stuff is worse than candy from strangers. We know who these things are! And yeah, it’s ALWAYS got strings and hooks attached. No thanks under any circumstances.
Jeff Sessions, an incompetent, arrogant, totalitarian with a Napoleon complex. He should never have been AG and should be fired immediately.
Until Jeffy prosecutes most all of D.C. And Hillary
He can kiss off
Like she says , at this point what difference does it make Jeff?
Rule of Law pal
And yer on the wrong side … again
You know he’s in the pocket of the Booze industry because he’s cracking down on marijuana while he ignores the heroin epidemic that’s sweeping the country.
Potheads watch cartoons and eat Froot Loops, but apparently this is a bigger problem than hospital emergency rooms being filled with heroin overdoses.