Cannabis

[Bunty]

I bet in the name of religious freedom there are no laws that prohibit a church from locating next door to a bar, liquor store, or dispensary.

[jerrywall]

I imagine it's grandfathered that if they do it doesn't effect the business.

[bchris02]

It looks like the legalization movement is about to be shut down and buried.

http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/04/politi...emo/index.html

Not that it matters in Oklahoma since this state was likely still decades away (from full legalization that is) but it looks like the experiment might be over.

[Stew]

What about state's rights?

[Zuplar]

This won't last. Sessions has got to realize he is on the wrong side of history on this one.

[bchris02]

This won't last. Sessions has got to realize he is on the wrong side of history on this one.

I don't know. This is going to excite Trump's base, especially evangelicals who support shutting down legal marijuana. Meanwhile it's a low-priority issue for a lot of other voters. I doubt many people will be voting Dem because of this when they would have otherwise voted Republican. Not a single red state, other than Alaska, has legal marijuana. The wildcard is whether or not this will anger enough people who don't typically vote to go to the polls in 2018.

[Jersey Boss]

I don't know. This is going to excite Trump's base, especially evangelicals who support shutting down legal marijuana. Meanwhile it's a low-priority issue for a lot of other voters. I doubt many people will be voting Dem because of this when they would have otherwise voted Republican. Not a single red state, other than Alaska, has legal marijuana. The wildcard is whether or not this will anger enough people who don't typically vote to go to the polls in 2018.

Well yes and no. Colorado has a GOP senator as does Maine. Apparently Sen. Gardner(R-CO) has some pretty strong feelings on this issue as well as feelings on being lied to by the Confederate elf.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/republica...162956937.html
The Colorado lawmaker said Sessions had personally promised him prior to his confirmation that he would not take steps to tighten enforcement of federal pot laws.

“I’m prepared to hold every Justice Department nominee until Jeff Sessions lives up to what he told me, lives up to his commitment,” Gardner said. A “hold” is a senatorial threat, frequently invoked to gain leverage over the executive branch, to filibuster nominees.

“Jeff Sessions told me this wouldn’t be a priority. Jeff Sessions told me the policy would not be reversed, and today Jeff Sessions went back on his word,” the senator said.

Gardner said Sessions made the assurances in “a call specifically set up because I would not release my vote [to confirm him as attorney general] until I got an answer.”

[Zuplar]

I don't know. This is going to excite Trump's base, especially evangelicals who support shutting down legal marijuana. Meanwhile it's a low-priority issue for a lot of other voters. I doubt many people will be voting Dem because of this when they would have otherwise voted Republican. Not a single red state, other than Alaska, has legal marijuana. The wildcard is whether or not this will anger enough people who don't typically vote to go to the polls in 2018.

The majority of American's support legal marijuana, many Republicans even support it in some capacity, Trump has even said previously he thinks it may need to be legal, and at minimum said he was going to keep the status quo. This is a last grasp, I wish we'd hurry up and legalize it federally, or at minimum unclassify and decriminalize it.

[BoulderSooner]

The justice dept should enforce the federal law as that is their job (not to make policy). That said congress should remove the federal government from this issue. (I am fine with it being a job requirement for any company) this should be a state issue period.

[Plutonic Panda]

The justice department should not enforce barbaric laws.

[TheTravellers]

Well yes and no. Colorado has a GOP senator as does Maine. Apparently Sen. Gardner(R-CO) has some pretty strong feelings on this issue as well as feelings on being lied to by the Confederate elf....

Gardner should *never* have believed anything the slimeball said - painting with a broad brush here, but almost everybody in any kind of position of power in the Trump administration is a liar and scumbag.

I seriously hope that the people in the legalized states take to the streets, and put up a massive protest, resistance, whatever to this absolutely idiotic decision. Marijuana needs to be reclassified and the DOJ needs to keep their absolutely archaic thinking out of it.

I am so tired of rich old white backwards-thinking racist men running almost everything political in this country, it's just sickening what we may be facing in the future as a result of this administration.

[Bunty]

It looks like the legalization movement is about to be shut down and buried.

http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/04/politi...emo/index.html

Not that it matters in Oklahoma since this state was likely still decades away (from full legalization that is) but it looks like the experiment might be over.

Did that amendment in some bill not get renewed to deny money to the Feds for enforcing federal law against marijuana in states where rec and/or med marijuana was legalized?

[Bunty]

I don't know. This is going to excite Trump's base, especially evangelicals who support shutting down legal marijuana. Meanwhile it's a low-priority issue for a lot of other voters. I doubt many people will be voting Dem because of this when they would have otherwise voted Republican. Not a single red state, other than Alaska, has legal marijuana. The wildcard is whether or not this will anger enough people who don't typically vote to go to the polls in 2018.

That it's a low priority with a lot of people is true. If it wasn't for a handful of people making it a high priority to keep a tent open night and day to collect signatures at the corner of NW Highway and Lake Hefner Park for as long as they did, there would be no medical marijuana being voted upon in June. It was a good thing that Oklahoma CIty Police allowed that tent to violate night time park curfew as long as it did.

Evangelicals seem more concerned about abortion and homosexuality than marijuana.

[jerrywall]

I can't get too upset that the person who is the top law enforcement officer in the country actually intends to enforce a federal law. What needs to happen is for marijuana to be reclassified as a schedule 2 drug, or removed from the schedules altogether. The latter could be done through Congress and the former could be done by the administration. In fact, if a president claims to want to leave it to the states, you'd think they'd have done just they, rather than issuing a memo that directed law officials to ignore the law...

[bchris02]

I can't get too upset that the person who is the top law enforcement officer in the country actually intends to enforce a federal law. What needs to happen is for marijuana to be reclassified as a schedule 2 drug, or removed from the schedules altogether. The latter could be done through Congress and the former could be done by the administration. In fact, if a president claims to want to leave it to the states, you'd think they'd have done just they, rather than issuing a memo that directed law officials to ignore the law...

I was really hoping Obama would have done this during his lame-duck phase, especially since it was already well known by then that the incoming Trump administration would likely want to crack down on legal marijuana. Of course, Trump could have reversed the decision, but he would it would be more controversial and he couldn't use the excuse "well we are just going to enforce the law."

[Urbanized]

I can't get too upset that the person who is the top law enforcement officer in the country actually intends to enforce a federal law. What needs to happen is for marijuana to be reclassified as a schedule 2 drug, or removed from the schedules altogether. The latter could be done through Congress and the former could be done by the administration. In fact, if a president claims to want to leave it to the states, you'd think they'd have done just they, rather than issuing a memo that directed law officials to ignore the law...

100%. This is an issue that has been looming in the background from the moment the Obama administration issued the hands-off policy. Reclassification is the only thing that will provide clarity. Unfortunately that would require cooperation in Washington, which is in short supply. Until then, everyone who consumes "legally" is breaking federal law.

[pw405]

Appears that OK will decide this issue at the primary election in June!

http://content.govdelivery.com/bulle.../OKGOV-1d075f0

NOW GET EVERYBODY YOU KNOW ON BOARD!

[mugofbeer]

The Colorado Attorney General doesn't seem to feel there will be any significant changes to law enforcement in Colorado. He feels that the announcement today was more just the repeal of Obamas policy with intent to address the issue further with real legislation. I dont think Trump has any great desire to shut down the industry.

[ctchandler]

The justice department should not enforce barbaric laws.

Plu Pan,
So, would you like the DOJ to make the decisions as to which federal laws they want to enforce? That's a lot of power that personally I couldn't live with. I don't vote on the DOJ folks, but I do vote on members of congress. Congress should make those decisions and they should re-categorize marijuana. And quick, before I kick the bucket.
C. T.

[Plutonic Panda]

Plu Pan,
So, would you like the DOJ to make the decisions as to which federal laws they want to enforce? That's a lot of power that personally I couldn't live with. I don't vote on the DOJ folks, but I do vote on members of congress. Congress should make those decisions and they should re-categorize marijuana. And quick, before I kick the bucket.
C. T.

I know and I can see where you're coming. If we have laws, we should enforce them. I can certainly agree. There are just gray areas, imo, on this issue. Weed is one of them. We allow tobacco and alcohol which are so dangerous, yet weed is illegal. I don't know. I just feel like disobedience is warranted here.

[jerrywall]

What if a state voted to allow opium dens, or eliminate FDA controls on prescription drugs? It's easy when it's something you support.

[Jersey Boss]

Plu Pan,
So, would you like the DOJ to make the decisions as to which federal laws they want to enforce? That's a lot of power that personally I couldn't live with. I don't vote on the DOJ folks, but I do vote on members of congress. Congress should make those decisions and they should re-categorize marijuana. And quick, before I kick the bucket.
C. T.

nm

[barrettd]

What if a state voted to allow opium dens, or eliminate FDA controls on prescription drugs? It's easy when it's something you support.

Kind of hard to deal in what ifs on a topic like states' rights, but if the majority of a state's population voted to allow opium dens, I'd say let them have opium dens. Then again, I'm in favor of ending the war on all drugs. The death toll from alcohol and tobacco related deaths makes it hard to argue against drugs while supporting keeping alcohol and tobacco legal and readily available to the general public. I'm not trying to start a political debate here, just saying that when the people (not the legislature) make their voices known on a subject, they at least deserve to be listened to, especially when they are voting on something that does not infringe on the rights of others who might oppose. You don't want to smoke opium? Don't do it. You want to take only FDA-approved drugs? Have at it. You want to grow and smoke weed? Knock yourself out. You're against homosexuals getting married? Don't marry someone of your gender.

[Zuplar]

My household will be 2 yes votes.

[jerrywall]

Kind of hard to deal in what ifs on a topic like states' rights, but if the majority of a state's population voted to allow opium dens, I'd say let them have opium dens. Then again, I'm in favor of ending the war on all drugs. The death toll from alcohol and tobacco related deaths makes it hard to argue against drugs while supporting keeping alcohol and tobacco legal and readily available to the general public. I'm not trying to start a political debate here, just saying that when the people (not the legislature) make their voices known on a subject, they at least deserve to be listened to, especially when they are voting on something that does not infringe on the rights of others who might oppose. You don't want to smoke opium? Don't do it. You want to take only FDA-approved drugs? Have at it. You want to grow and smoke weed? Knock yourself out. You're against homosexuals getting married? Don't marry someone of your gender.

So if states can override federal laws does that include thigs like minimum wages, worker safety, discrimination, et Al? I'm getting lost in this libertarian paradise you're enspousing. Why have federal laws at all at this point?