Feds threatening to shut down marijuana festival, Cannabis Cup, in Las Vegas

[Chomp]

Federal usurpation of powers is unconstitutional. Perhaps Marijuana is bad, but controlling powers are given to the states to decide to shut dope clubs or not.

 

[Jan2017]

Public consumption still prohibited by state law, only allowed 1 ounce on person. That's not legalization. The state will be shutting down this event, not the feds.

Tribal lands are a kinda federal jurisdiction . . .
as I think the state needs a warrant to go on the reservation to serve a warrant or make an arrest.

Eight states, including Nevada, and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana, and more than two dozen states have legalized medical marijuana.

I didn't know that about DC - isn't it a federal jurisdiction under the US Senate sorta (?)

 

[Origanalist]

Which is why we are wondering why Trumpets are cheering the 10,000 new federal agents?

I'm not wondering.

 

[JK/SEA]

someones gonna fold on this, and it won't be the people.

this should be the beginning of the end for pot prohibition.

 

[seapilot]

Bollocks. From the article.

U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden, based in Las Vegas, sent a Feb. 16 letter to the Moapa Paiute Tribe reminding the tribe that the transport, possession, use and distribution of marijuana is illegal under federal law. The marijuana trade show and festival, planned for March 4 and 5, would be in violation of that law, according to the letter obtained by the Reno Gazette-Journal.

A U.S. Attorney works for the FEDS! When it comes to sensible marijuana laws we were better off under Obama.

Obama had the opportunity to decriminalize it but he didn't which was a big mistake IMO. The country is ripe to toss that prohibition into the dumpster.He could have been remembered for doing something positive for liberty.

All he did was say he would look the other way and not enforce, but never went out of his way to change the rules. That showed he really did not care about legalizing MJ as much as he did about disarming the people through backdoor regulations.

 

[TheCount]

This can't be possible, because in the last marijuana thread I was told that Spicer was wrong when he stated that the Federal government intended to enforce federal marijuana legislation even in the states which have legalized it, and Trump's administration is all the about the states' rights and etc, etc, etc.

Must be fake news.

 

[Iowa]

Four days since The White House threatened marijuana consumers…



by Justin Strekal, NORML Political Director February 27, 2017



It has been a whirlwind since the White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on Thursday indicated that the Trump administration may engage in “greater” efforts to enforce federal anti-marijuana laws in jurisdictions that have legalized and regulated its adult use.



In the last four days, NORML has helped to generate over 20,000 emails to members of Congress in to support HR 975, The Respect State Marijuana Laws Act, which would prevent federal agencies from enforcing prohibition in states that have changed their marijuana laws. In addition, over 5,000 individuals for the first time have also emailed their state elected officials via our Act page in support of various statewide legislative reforms.



While neither the White House nor the Department of Justice have yet to act on their threats, this trial balloon could be a prelude to aggressive action in the not so distant future. In the context of recent actions by the Department of Justice in regard to immigration enforcement and private prisons, it is within the realm of possibility that a full scale assault on marijuana users could be coming shortly.



Even if the Department of Justice does little more than send letters to elected officials in legal states declaring its intention to act, this alone will have a serious chilling effect on the implementation of statewide legalization laws. These are exactly the sort of tactics that our opponents in states like Maine and Massachusetts have sought for in order to justify delaying implementing the will of their voters.



We must be vigilant and pressure Congress to protect adult use marijuana states from undue federal interference.
Click here to email your member of Congress right now to support The Respect State Marijuana Laws Act.
Also, in the wake of Spicer’s comments, NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano has two new op-ed’s, appearing in The Hill and The Daily Caller.

Trump Administration’s dubious claims about pot and opioids are dead wrong​

…Proponents of marijuana prohibition have long alleged that experimentation with pot acts as a ‘gateway’ to the use and eventual abuse of other illicit substances. But the evidence does not support this claim.
In reality, permitting marijuana sales to be regulated by licensed, state-authorized distributors rather than by criminal entrepreneurs and pushers of various other illicit drugs results in fewer, not more, Americans abusing other, potentially more dangerous substances…

– Read more in The Hill




​

Trump’s Proposed Pot Crackdown Is Out Of Step With Voters, Including Many Republicans​

…Rather than picking an unnecessary fight with the majority of American voters, including a significant portion of Trump’s own base, the administration should consider embracing common sense marijuana law reforms. Endorsing bipartisan legislation, HR 975: The Respect State Marijuana Laws Act,” would be a good place to start. In accordance with the electorate’s wishes, passage of the act would prevent the federal government from criminally prosecuting individuals or businesses that are engaging in state-sanctioned activities specific to the possession, use, production, and distribution of marijuana.



Despite more than 70 years of federal marijuana prohibition, Americans’ consumption of and demand for cannabis is here to stay. It is time for politicians to acknowledge this reality and amend federal marijuana laws in a manner that comports with majority public opinion and the plant’s rapidly changing legal and cultural status. The Trump administration has the opportunity to take the lead on this issue. It would be an enormous political misstep for them to do otherwise….

– Read more in The Daily Caller​

Additionally, the newly formed Cannabis Caucus put out a statement regarding last the announcement from Spicer:

“Today’s statement by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer regarding marijuana policy reaffirms the need for the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. Last November, eight more states passed measures to increase access to state-legal cannabis, and today more than 300 million Americans live in states with access to adult-use marijuana or some form medical cannabis. Among them are four additional states that have fully legalized the adult-use of marijuana. We hope today’s comments do not reflect the views of the President and his administration. As co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, we stand ready to educate this administration on the need for more sensible marijuana policies and share the many experiences states have had with the legalization of cannabis. Together, we will continue to work in a bipartisan manner to reform our failed marijuana policies and provide a voice for Americans who have overwhelmingly voted for a more sensible drug policy.”



It’s institutions like NORML, the Cannabis Caucus, and most importantly, your efforts as part of the democratic process that will prevent the rollback of progress in marijuana legalization. Don’t stop calling your members of Congress and getting involved locally. Do not accept this as a new normal. This is not normal. Smoking pot is NORML.


http://blog.norml.org/2017/02/27/four-days-since-the-white-house-threatened-marijuana-consumers/

.....................

 

[William Tell]

Sessions thinks his job is to enforce the laws passed by Congress.[/QUOTE]Well its not. His job is to follow the Constitution including the 9th and 10th amendments. But I guess he's probably never read it.

No one said that. But, fact is that if you want the federal government out of the drug business, the focus should be on getting the federal law removed. Either that, or each state can do the nullification thing. That might work.

And then when Sessions sends his goons to invade the states that nullify you will still say we should encourage our elected officials to change the law. Which I'm all for, but come on LE, stop making excuses for Sessions.

 

[jkr]

ANY law repugnant to the constitution is no law at all!

they know it
they dont give a shit...because THEY ARE UNLAWFUL

 

[CaseyJones]

.....................

thanks was just gonna post that

ya know this is something we could make a difference in
if everyone who has access to twitter, facebook, reddit and comment sections in articles about this were to push H.R.975 we could get it to the floor for a vote

information on H.R.975 https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr975/text
how to contact your congressmen http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
recent poll showing approval for respecting states marijuana laws at 71% https://www.mpp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Quinnipiac-Poll-Feb-2017.pdf

Here is a NORML form letter quick link to congress supporting H.R. 975

http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/51046/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=19997

 

[H. E. Panqui]

That would be even better. My point was that we need to get the federal law ripped out that currently exists.

...are you aware that, LARGELY, the miserable, stooooooooooooopid, prohibitionist 'conservative republicans' have used their sizable influence in congress, presidency, courts, etc., over the years to foist upon us this monstrous 'drug war'?!...

...ime, the big hero/icon of MANY of these loud, stoopid trump republicans, etc. republican dopes galore, is ronald stinking reagan..the big 'just say no' puppet who launched his own stinking, failed, monstrously stoooooopid war on drugs...

...it's pretty obvious the biggest impediments to a sane, decent, federal 'drug policy' (no drug policy) are the puppet$ shilling for the repulsive republican party inc..ugh..

...republican peckerheadedness goes waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back...(...and yes yes the democrats suck too)

 

[dannno]

This can't be possible, because in the last marijuana thread I was told that Spicer was wrong when he stated that the Federal government intended to enforce federal marijuana legislation even in the states which have legalized it, and Trump's administration is all the about the states' rights and etc, etc, etc.

Must be fake news.

What they are doing may not be legal under state law. Obama admin also prosecuted cannabis in states where it was legal, if state laws were being broken.

 

[TheCount]

What they are doing may not be legal under state law.

Remind me again whose job it is to decide that.

 

[dannno]

Remind me again whose job it is to decide that.

Did Nevada ask the Feds to come help them?

I'm just saying this policy may be no different from the previous administration.

I'm getting emails from all these pro-cannabis groups that are trying to claim that the Trump admin may crack down on cannabis. It's possible they may "crack down", but it hasn't happened yet, and this wouldn't necessarily be evidence of that.

If they do "crack down" it will be quite disappointing, although I'm glad to hear they won't be touching medicinal either way. The thing is, almost everybody has some condition that can be treated by cannabis use, so really anybody can get a medical card if they want one. It has been pretty much legal in California for 10+ years because in 2006 or 2007 it became easy and everybody decided to get their medical cards.

 

[TheCount]

I'm just saying this policy may be no different from the previous administration.

Would you say, then, that Obama and Trump both support states' rights to an equal degree?

 

[phill4paul]

What they are doing may not be legal under state law. Obama admin also prosecuted cannabis in states where it was legal, if state laws were being broken.

I'll take "D" for $200, Alex.

Don't worry, surely the trumpettes will be along soon enough, to do one or more of the following:
A) Argue about the meaning of words like "cut", "spending", "military", "entitlement", "increase", and "budget"
B) Tell us that their authoritarian idol really didn't mean what he said
C) Tell us that this is a brilliant move in a game of 3-D chess that only trumpettes are capable of understanding
D) Tell us that it's ok because obomba did it first
E) Tell us that it's ok because it would have been horrible if clinton had done the very same thing
F) Tell us that this is what Liberty and Freedom really mean
G) Call CPUd names

 

[Ender]

I'll take "D" for $200, Alex.

Ya think?

 

[dannno]

Would you say, then, that Obama and Trump both support states' rights to an equal degree?

What does this have to do with state's rights? Fed over-reach? Absolutely. But if it is illegal under state and federal law, and the feds come in, then you can't really call it more than federal over-reach.

 

[TheCount]

What does this have to do with state's rights? Fed over-reach? Absolutely. But if it is illegal under state and federal law, and the feds come in, then you can't really call it more than federal over-reach.

I'll file this under 'no comment.'

 

[dannno]

I'll file this under 'no comment.'

There are state laws against selling cocaine, there are federal laws against selling cocaine.. Is it a state's rights issue when the feds enforce cocaine laws? I agree it is federal overreach, there shouldn't be any federal drug laws.. But I don't see how it is a states rights issue if the fed govt. is helping the states enforce their laws. Unless the state asked the feds not to come in.. but in my experience the feds tend to get cooperation from the local sheriffs when they go in and enforce federal laws that are not in conflict with state laws.