crack down on pot from DOJ

[spin_dry]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department will step up enforcement of federal law against recreational marijuana, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Thursday, offering the Trump administration's strongest indication to date of a looming crackdown on the drug, even as a solid majority of Americans believe it should be legal.
"I do believe you'll see greater enforcement of it," Spicer said in response to a question during a news conference. But he offered no details about what such enforcement would entail. President Donald Trump does not oppose medical marijuana, he added, but "that's very different than recreational use, which is something the Department of Justice will be further looking into."
A renewed focus on recreational marijuana in states that have legalized pot would present a departure from the Trump administration's statements in favor of states' rights. A day earlier, the administration announced that the issue of transgender student bathroom access was best left to states and local communities to decide.
Enforcement would also shift away from marijuana policy under the Obama administration, which said in a 2013 memo that it would not intervene in state's marijuana laws as long as they keep the drug from crossing state lines and away from children and drug cartels.
But the memo carried no force of law and could be rewritten by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has consistently said he opposes legal marijuana but has not indicated what he might do.
Eight states and Washington, D.C., have legalized marijuana for recreational use. The Justice Department has several options available should it decide to enforce the law, including filing lawsuits on the grounds that state laws regulating pot are unconstitutional because they are pre-empted by federal law. Enforcement could also be as simple as directing U.S. attorneys to send letters to recreational marijuana businesses letting them know they are breaking the law.
Washington's attorney general, Bob Ferguson, said he and Gov. Jay Inslee, both Democrats, requested a meeting with Sessions about his approach to legal, regulated marijuana. Ferguson led the states in fighting off Trump's executive order on immigration in court and said Thursday he's prepared to lead the way in defending legal marijuana, too.
"We will resist any efforts to thwart the will of the voters in Washington," Ferguson said.
Kevin Sabet, head of the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, said pot enforcement is needed for public safety and Spicer's comments made him hopeful.
"The current situation is unsustainable," Sabet said in a statement. "This isn't an issue about states' rights, it's an issue of public health and safety for communities."
Spicer's comments came the same day as a Quinnipiac poll said 59 percent of Americans think marijuana should be legal and 71 percent would oppose a federal crackdown.
Pot advocates said they hoped Spicer's prediction would not come to pass.
"It is hard to imagine why anyone would want marijuana to be produced and sold by cartels and criminals rather than tightly regulated, taxpaying businesses," said Mason Tvert, communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project.
States have been flouting the U.S. Controlled Substances Act since at least 1996, when California voters approved marijuana for sick people, a direct conflict with federal guidelines barring the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
And presidents since Bill Clinton have said the federal government unequivocally rejects a state's ability to modify federal drug law.
However, three presidents over the last 20 years have each concluded that the limited resources of the U.S. Department of Justice are best spent pursuing large drug cartels, not individual users of marijuana.
Nevada state Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford said in a statement Thursday that meddling in recreational pot laws would be federal overreach and harm state coffers that fund education.
In Washington state, sales at licensed pot shops now average nearly $4.4 million per day - with little evidence of any negative societal effects. That's close to $1 billion in sales so far for the fiscal year that began last July, some $184 million of which is state tax revenue.
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Associated Press writers Kristen Wyatt in Denver and Gene Johnson in Seattle continued to this report.

[Snoslinger]

noggin approves of this message....

[Jimmy Snacks]

WTF....don't they have bigger issues to worry about?

[Sal Rosenberg]

Just now, Biggie Smails said:

WTF....don't they have bigger issues to worry about?

 

No shit .  Fucking stupid asses . 

[Jimmy Snacks]

1 minute ago, Sal Rosenberg said:

 

No shit .  Fucking stupid asses . 

That Spicer guy reminds of fucking Frank Burns.

[Zambroski]

2 minutes ago, Biggie Smails said:

That Spicer guy reminds of fucking Frank Burns.

Yeah, I think he's kind of a weiner. Handling the press decently though....who are mostly wieners. I may be on to something here.

[Sal Rosenberg]

3 minutes ago, Biggie Smails said:

That Spicer guy reminds of fucking Frank Burns.

 

He spazzes out like Billy Martin  which is funny but he lacks the likeability and brains Martin had 

[Snoslinger]

3 minutes ago, Zambroski said:

Yeah, I think he's kind of a weiner. Handling the press decently though....who are mostly wieners. I may be on to something here.

a wiener? 

[Jimmy Snacks]

1 minute ago, Sal Rosenberg said:

 

He spazzes out like Billy Martin  which is funny but he lacks the likeability and brains Martin had 

Haha....nailed it. Martin was the loveable lout with a bit of a booze problem....his love/hate deal with Steinbrenner was priceless.

[Zambroski]

1 minute ago, Snoslinger said:

a wiener? 

Shhh.....quiet yourself.  I don't want to own anymore than I already do.  I'm wayyyyy over invested in a loser stock.

 

[f7ben]

Fuck Trump 

[ICEMAN!]

39 minutes ago, Biggie Smails said:

WTF....don't they have bigger issues to worry about?

Ideology over sensible policy

[Zambroski]

1 minute ago, ICEMAN! said:

Ideology over sensible policy

Feels just like old times for some of you!

"Hey Girl..."

[Skidooski]

Recreational pot use is comparable to drinking beer. Drop the pot boogie man shit already Trump. You've got more then enough shit to worry about already

[Zambroski]

1 minute ago, Skidooski said:

Recreational pot use is comparable to drinking beer. Drop the pot boogie man shit already Trump. You've got more then enough shit to worry about already

I can NEVER remember getting into any trouble smoking a big fatty....never.  Getting my "drunk on" has caused me plenty of problems.  Well, it may have something to do with my lack of self control and an over abundance of testosterone.  But getting "pie eyed"?  Meh.....who has the energy.  "Who has the fucking Doritos?!"

Problem is, if too many Americans stop drinking in favor of dubbage, we'll be invaded by Aruba, and become their principality.  

[Skidooski]

2 minutes ago, Zambroski said:

I can NEVER remember getting into any trouble smoking a big fatty....never.  Getting my "drunk on" has caused me plenty of problems.  Well, it may have something to do with my lack of self control and an over abundance of testosterone.  But getting "pie eyed"?  Meh.....who has the energy.  "Who has the fucking Doritos?!"

Problem is, if too many Americans stop drinking in favor of dubbage, we'll be invaded by Aruba, and become their principality.

These people haven't grown out of their refer madness days from 80 years ago.

[Jimmy Snacks]

9 minutes ago, Zambroski said:

I can NEVER remember getting into any trouble smoking a big fatty....never.  Getting my "drunk on" has caused me plenty of problems.  Well, it may have something to do with my lack of self control and an over abundance of testosterone.  But getting "pie eyed"?  Meh.....who has the energy.  "Who has the fucking Doritos?!"

Problem is, if too many Americans stop drinking in favor of dubbage, we'll be invaded by Aruba, and become their principality.  

My daughter and I were talking about this last night.....now I know some of you may think I'm naive for believing this but she said she has never tried pot but she has seen me act a fool when drinking too much which is part of the reason I quit and we both agree that alcohol is more damaging than casual weed use. She is also adamant in her disgust for cigarette smoking considering what it has done to her grandfather. 

[Zambroski]

Just now, Biggie Smails said:

My daughter and I were talking about this last night.....now I know some of you may think I'm naive for believing this but she said she has never tried pot but she has seen me act a fool when drinking too much which is part of the reason I quit and we both agree that alcohol is more damaging than casual weed use. She is also adamant in her disgust for cigarette smoking considering what it has done to her grandfather. 

Your family and mine would get along well.

You and I would still probably sneak off and "burn one" though.

Ive still got aome in my tool box from 10 years ago.

Is it like scotch?  Moto?  

 

[Jimmy Snacks]

Just now, Zambroski said:

Your family and mine would get along well.

You and I would still probably sneak off and "burn one" though.

Ive still got aome in my tool box from 10 years ago.

Is it like scotch?  Moto?  

 

I haven't smoked weed in 25 plus years but now that I've given up booze I might pull a Willie Nelson and take up the pipe!

[snoughnut]

8 minutes ago, Biggie Smails said:

My daughter and I were talking about this last night.....now I know some of you may think I'm naive for believing this but she said she has never tried pot but she has seen me act a fool when drinking too much which is part of the reason I quit and we both agree that alcohol is more damaging than casual weed use. She is also adamant in her disgust for cigarette smoking considering what it has done to her grandfather. 

i think we may have witnessed this a time or 7 Nobody likes a quitter, drink in moderation. I haven't been drunk in years but I still drink because I like the taste of beer and a good mixer, have 2 or 3 at night then shut er down.

[motonoggin]

11 hours ago, Snoslinger said:

noggin approves of this message....

Not the least bit worried about this.

[Edmo]

1 minute ago, snoughnut said:

i think we may have witnessed this a time or 7 Nobody likes a quitter, drink in moderation. I haven't been drunk in years but I still drink because I like the taste of beer and a good mixer, have 2 or 3 at night then shut er down.

I can't tell you you how many times my pops came home stumbling drunk. Makes an impression on a kid. I'll have a couple, but I've made it a point not to be shitfaced around my kids. 

[Zambroski]

2 minutes ago, Edmo said:

I can't tell you you how many times my pops came home stumbling drunk. Makes an impression on a kid. I'll have a couple, but I've made it a point not to be shitfaced around my kids. 

Yeah, we've had a few moments where we were having a party and my daughter either came home early from a friend's or, she was unexpectedly thrown into the mix. A real "buzz kill".  Usually I am pretty well under control (for me anyway) as I know a "tipping point" creates problems, but still, I don't want her around.  Ever get around your friends when they've had one it two "extra" and you are bone sober?  It's like that. Idiocy tends to runeth over even if the drunkies THINK they are "fine".  It can be embarrassing listening to someone tell you how they aren't drunk as they stumble around and slur their words.  I don't want my daughter around any of that.  Now that she is older,  she does enjoy watching some of our friends "act a fool".  Especially the ladies.  Wine is a weird intoxicant for women.  

[hwytohell]

Waste of time an needed resources . The only reason for this is to fill the multi - level criminal justice system troughs with low hanging easy monies.  Pot should be treated like beer / wine / distilled spirits, in taxation an alleged user impairment . The failed war on pot is over.

[hwytohell]

22 minutes ago, Zambroski said:

Yeah, we've had a few moments where we were having a party and my daughter either came home early from a friend's or, she was unexpectedly thrown into the mix. A real "buzz kill".  Usually I am pretty well under control (for me anyway) as I know a "tipping point" creates problems, but still, I don't want her around.  Ever get around your friends when they've had one it two "extra" and you are bone sober?  It's like that. Idiocy tends to runeth over even if the drunkies THINK they are "fine".  It can be embarrassing listening to someone tell you how they aren't drunk as they stumble around and slur their words.  I don't want my daughter around any of that.  Now that she is older,  she does enjoy watching some of our friends "act a fool".  Especially the ladies.  Wine is a weird intoxicant for women.  

Yup.