Whatever happened to the Republicans’ supposed enduring love for state’s rights? This is a question worth asking because Jeff Sessions’ latest move to impede states from legal medical and recreational marijuana use demonstrates the exact opposite. In May, he asked Congress to allow him lift the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment in order to prosecute medical marijuana providers stating that it would “inhibit (the Justice Department’s) authority to enforce the Controlled Substances Act.” This will have a deleterious impact on a number of lawful marijuana growers and medical providers around the country. And in Maine, people are really worried.
If Congress supports the request from Sessions, thousands of medical marijuana providers and related businesses that support an estimated 50,000 medical marijuana patients in Maine could face federal criminal prosecution or other sanctions.
Wait—in addition to this being federal overreach into state’s rights, aren’t Republicans supposed to be the party that supports local businesses? And the rights of patients to make their own medical decisions? Talk about hypocrisy. But none of that will stop Sessions. He’s still trying to make the case that this is about stopping illegal drug use and drug trafficking. Except it won’t. Medical marijuana, in particular, has been helpful in stopping prescription drug abuse as well as helping to treat individuals with a number of chronic medical conditions. And marijuana advocates know that this is shameful and misguided.
[Catherine Lewis, chairwoman for the Medical Marijuana Caregivers of Maine] – who called Sessions and the Trump administration “uneducated” for associating marijuana with the opiate addiction epidemic – said Sessions’ request wasn’t a surprise, but was met with dismay and disappointment by caregivers and patients with whom she has spoken.
“It’s downright frightening. Without us here, there are people who will suffer, there are children who will have untreatable seizures,” she said. “There will be parents and grandparents who could go to jail for doing nothing more than trying to saved loves ones.”
Medical marijuana advocates in Maine are hoping that Trump will respect the 10th amendment which allows states’ powers that aren’t explicitly designated by the federal government. Except this is unlikely, as Trump doesn’t seem to read and allows much of his cabinet to come up with dangerous ideas and go unchecked. Jeff Sessions cares nothing about sick people or anyone’s suffering. Actually, he wants drug users (or those perceived to be) to suffer. This is not about the Justice Department being able to crack down on illegal drugs or keep people safe. This is about him and his obsession with being able to lock people up in prison. And this unnecessary war will have a financial impact, all over the country and directly on states.
Mainers last year spent $24.8 million on non-edible medical marijuana at dispensaries, a 5.3 percent jump over 2015, according to data from Maine Revenue Services. Records show residents spent another $2 million on edibles at the eight state-licensed dispensaries.
Medical marijuana patients spent $27.3 million on cannabis products from caregivers in 2015, according to estimates by Medical Marijuana Caregivers of Maine.
Jeff Sessions’ insistence on going back to an outdated war on drugs means the American people are now his target. This ridiculous war will be costly and marginalize already vulnerable people, especially the sick and people of color. It may be difficult to slow down or stop some of his effort. But hopefully Congress will not allow him to move forward with this latest move to target states and their right to lawfully grow and sell marijuana.