11 senators urge feds to stick with current DOJ marijuana policy
Published: Mar 2, 2017, 2:29 pm • Updated: Mar 2, 2017, 2:58 pm
By The Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — Senators from eight states that have legalized the recreational or medicinal use of marijuana are asking Attorney General Jeff Sessions to uphold the Department of Justice’s existing enforcement policy toward states with voter-approved marijuana laws.
Massachusetts Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey were among those who signed the Thursday letter. Massachusetts voters backed the recreational use of pot last year.
Related stories
- Virginia Republican rep introduces bill to end federal marijuana prohibition
- Top Democrats call for Jeff Sessions to resign
- Colorado AG invites Jeff Sessions to come visit a recreational marijuana state and “see what we have done”
- Dear Jeff Sessions: Here’s that science on marijuana and opioids you were asking for
- Jeff Sessions to AGs: “We don’t need to be legalizing marijuana”
The senators point to comments by White House spokesman Sean Spicer suggesting stepped-up enforcement of federal laws against recreational marijuana.
Eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana.
The Obama administration opted not intervene in state marijuana laws as long as states had systems to control the drug’s cultivation and sale.
The signatories are:
Republican: Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Democrats:
Michael Bennet, Colorado
Brian Schatz, Hawaii
Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, Massachusetts
Catherine Cortez Mastro, Nevada
Cory Booker, New Jersey
Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, Oregon
Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, Washington
Read the full letter:
Senators’ Letter to DOJ March 2, 2017 (PDF)
Senators’ Letter to DOJ March 2, 2017 (Text)
Topics: Department of Justice, Jeff Sessions, legalized states, states rights, Trump administration
