Earlier this year when Jeff Sessions had the bright idea to end the Obama-era policy that eased federal enforcement of legal marijuana he was met with disdain– from generally everyone. Sessions went on to accidentally create an explosive nonpartisan issue that he was on the wrong side of. Even President Donald Trump came out against his chosen Attorney General. It was a move that didn’t make sense to anyone considering Trump stated that he would let the states decide the issue of legalizing weed and has been soft on the issue for some time. So after the Sessions issue Trump seemed to be pro-pot, or at least, not against it.
(Photo from Boingboing.net)
After Trumps statements in April that basically threw Sessions under the bus, the marijuana community got to chill out and get blazed for the summer. Marijuana’s already skyrocketing stock and economic empire even was able to increase after Donald Trumps comments. Who knew Donald Trump would become the champion of legal pot? With the age we’re succumb to live in nothing is too crazy or off the table. The legal marijuana community was able to let their guard down, and put their faith in Trump.
For the past couples months the marijuana momentum was growing and it seemed that Trump was sticking to his comments. Everything was going smoothly, up until last week when an article was published exposing the Trump Administrations secret Anti-Pot committee. It seems as though the Trump Administration has put together a committee that aims to attack public support of Marijuana and are even trying to portray it as a national threat. So much for leaving it up to the states.
But even with the committee being brought to light, does it really matter? The committee seems to be repeating the failed rise of Reagan’s drug war and his “just say no” campaign. This new campaign is essentially trying to back track history and all the progress we have made as a country.
The committee is using tactics that might have have worked during marijuana’s heavy prohibition era, but they will come up short in today’s age. Marijuana is legal in some way in 31 states and is making strides to be legalized in even more. With the marijuana climate today it doesn’t seem like people will be fooled by this committees outdated campaign. People today are too educated in marijuana’s medical and recreational benefits to believe it could possibly be a “threat.”
With that being said people today also know there are risks to using the drug. The narrative now isn’t that marijuana is some heaven sent risk free super drug, but that it is a drug that shouldn’t be handled as harsh as it is. The overlying idea is that weed should be legal and handled similar to alcohol, and unfortunately for the Trump Administration a silly anti-pot committee just won’t destroy the marijuana momentum.
Dan walsh 