Donald Trump backs federal cannabis bill

A day after Senators Cory Gardner and Elizabeth Warren announced plans to introduce a bi-partisan bill to protect US states' rights to legalize cannabis, Donald Trump indicated he might lend his support to the legislation if it passed Congress.

Senator Gardner opposed the legalization of cannabis in his home state of Colorado. Recognizing that there was now no turning back, he teamed up with Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren to introduce the STATES Act, for Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act (Strengthening the Tenth Amendment by Empowering the States), which would, among other things, protect cannabis-related operations in states where it is legal from federal prosecution, and authorize essential services like banking or insurance for businesses in the industry.

During a press conference, journalists asked Donald Trump about the Warner-Gardner project.

«I'll probably end up supporting him.» he replied.

The President's support, despite his inconsistency on all issues, could give the US Senate the confidence to pass the bill. This is also the third time that Donald Trump supports this bill.

In the lower house of the legislature, a similar bill is being championed by Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (Democrat of Oregon) and David Joyce (Republican of Ohia). Their bill would amend the Controlled Substances Act (the equivalent of our 1970 Act) to prevent the federal government from prosecuting individuals or entities that comply with their state's laws.