President Trump Said he Will ‘Probably’ Support Bill to Protect States with Legal Cannabis

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]A[/dropcap] historic bill could wipe out the differences between state and federal law in America. U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Cory Gardner and Rep. David Joyce introduced a bill on June 7 that would formalize protections for states that have legalized cannabis. President Donald Trump said he would “probably” support the bill, despite flip-flopping on cannabis as a state issue as recently as January.

“(I) probably will end up supporting” it, Trump told reporters at the White House, according to reports. The bipartisan nature of the bill is a breath of fresh air during such divisive times.

The Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act, or STATES Act, would clear up anxieties caused by the recent revocation of the Cole Memo last January. When U.S. Attorney Jeff Session rescinded the Cole Memo, it sent the cannabis community into an uproar. But the STATES Act would offer a more permanent solution. Trump has already been in conflict with Sessions, so his latest comment shouldn’t come as a surprise.

The Tenth Amendment dates back to 1791 and balances the rights of states and the federal government, preventing government overreach. The bill would amend the Controlled Substances Act so that it doesn’t affect states that have legalized cannabis and established industries.

Gardner, once  a foe of Trump, appreciated the President’s comment. “It is a positive sign. I had spoken to the president yesterday morning, before we had introduced the bill, making sure he was familiar with the legislative efforts and reminding him what we had talked about before—about his decision to approach this through a state’s rights lens,” Gardner said. “He liked the idea—the concept—and of course this morning you saw the same thing where he said that he supported the efforts, he knows exactly what I’m doing and most likely will support it.”

Trump had already promised to support a bill protecting states with legal cannabis last April, according to Rep. Gardner. A final solution to the disconnect between state and federal law is long overdue, and it has yet to be resolved.