How States Are Responding to Anti-Cannabis Threats by Trump Administration

Ever since the press conference where Sean Spicer implied that the world of legal cannabis can expect a crackdown from the Trump administration, the community has been reacting with resilience. Representatives from states with legal cannabis have been responding appropriately in opposition to Spicer’s comments.

“We will resist any efforts to thwart the will of the voters in Washington,” Bob Ferguson, the state’s attorney general, told the Seattle Times.

Similarly, in a letter to U.S. attorney general Jeff Sessions, Jay Inslee, Washington’s governor, and Ferguson showed dedication to supporting their state’s regulations of cannabis.

“Our state’s efforts to regulate the sale of marijuana are succeeding,” they claimed. “A few years ago, the illegal trafficking of marijuana lined the pockets of criminals everywhere. Now, in our state, illegal trafficking activity is being displaced by a closely regulated marijuana industry that pays hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes. This frees up significant law enforcement resources to protect our communities in other, more pressing ways.”

One state over, Earl Blumenauer, U.S. Representative from Oregon, posted an official statement on his website.

“I am deeply disappointed by Sean Spicer’s statement that he expects states to see ‘greater enforcement’ and crackdown on adult use of marijuana,” Blumenauer wrote. “The national prohibition of cannabis has been a failure, and millions of voters across the country have demanded a more sensible approach. I’m looking forward to working with the leadership of our newly formed cannabis caucus to ensure that Oregonian’s wishes are protected and that we end the failed prohibition on marijuana.”

California echoed similar sentiments via a letter from Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, who referred to the statements from Spicer as “draconian” in light of recent cannabis reform.

“I urge you and your administration to work in partnership with California and the other eight states that have legalized recreational marijuana for adult use in a way that will let us enforce our state laws that protects the public and our children while targeting the bad actors,” Newsom wrote. “We have a shared goal of reducing crime, and the best way we can achieve that is through a tightly regulated market.”

Newsom also specifically called out Spicer for being misinformed when he compared recreational cannabis to the opiate crisis, declaring that cannabis is “nothing like opiates” and shared that the plant is in fact an alternative to harmfully addictive drugs like opiates.

Last but not least, Nevada State Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford made a public statement to stand behind his state’s recent move to legalize.

“Any action by the Trump administration would be an insult to Nevada voters and would pick the pockets of Nevada’s students,” Ford claimed.

These statements echo those coming out of other legal states, such as Nevada and Colorado. It is clear that although some may feel threatened by federal officials, state governments will continue to defend state rights eloquently and confidently.