Sessions reverses Obama-era hands-off federal pot guidelines
The policy shift came just three days after recreational cannabis sales began in
A federal crackdown on cannabis operators licensed to do business in
As more states passed medical marijuana laws, and with adult-use laws passed in
Sessions reversed the lenient stance recommended for federal prosecutors when weighing cases involving entities complying with state regulations that contradict the federal government's prohibition against any marijuana activity.
State Sen.
"I'm blown away that the
In 2013, a memo from then-Deputy Attorney General
The guidance, widely known as the "Cole Memo," directed prosecutors to focus on cases addressing the "most significant threats," primarily keeping marijuana away from children and stopping criminal gangs from making money from its sales.
On Thursday, Sessions called this guidance "unnecessary." In his memo, Sessions directed federal prosecutors to consider priorities set by his department, along with the seriousness of the crime, the Controlled Substances Act and "the deterrent effect of criminal prosecution."
"The previous issuance of guidance undermines the rule of law and the ability of our local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners to carry out this mission," Sessions said in a statement. "Therefore, today's memo on federal marijuana enforcement simply directs all
"Until the slow, clunking machinery of the federal government catches up with the values and will of the people it purportedly serves, states -- like
The reaction from cannabis industry advocates and operators on the
"This underscores the importance of getting it right in
In his memo, Sessions made it clear federal prosecutors still maintain discretion when evaluating what cases to pursue with finite resources.
SPARC founder
"He's still leaving the final decisions up to local
Obama-era appointee
Simmons said there will be no immediate change to the office's focus when it comes to marijuana-related crimes.
"The cultivation, distribution and possession of marijuana has long been and remains a violation of federal law," Simmons said. "
Smith, who grew up in
"Who will be least likely to be prosecuted? Probably state-licensed operators, medical and small-scale," Figueroa said. "Who is most likely to get prosecuted? Probably huge, adult-use operations."
"It doesn't change what we do," Crum said.
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