United States: Congress prevents Jeff Sessions from tormenting medical cannabis laws

Jeff Sessions, U.S. Attorney General in Donald Trump's administration, didn't just make friends in the burgeoning cannabis industry, notably after declaring that he will enforce federal cannabis laws, even though the majority of American voters support the medical and recreational use of cannabis.

States that have already legalized cannabis have been looking for preventive solutions. For Colorado, the solution would be to the entire medical industry, less risky than recreational use. The deadline seems to be postponed: Congress has allocated no budget to the Justice Department to interfere with state laws on medical cannabis, under the’Rohrabacher-Ferr amendment, which prohibits the Department of Justice from spending money to interfere with the implementation of a U.S. state's medical cannabis laws. A relief felt by cannabis business owners and patients alike.

Peter DeFazio, Oregon's Democratic representative in the House of Representatives, told magazine Rolling Stone Jeff Sessions is a real problem. But on the other hand, I don't think Donald Trump's administration wants him to corner the states that have legalized marijuana and most of the states that have legalized recreational marijuana. It would cost Trump and his support group an arm and a leg if the Attorney General were ever to carry out his «mission‘.’

Jeff Sessions has never hidden his dislike of drugs in general, and cannabis in particular. He has said, for example, that «good people don't smoke cannabis», or that it's «a life-altering addiction that's just a little less serious than heroin».

The Republican prosecutor is primarily looking to take on the eight states that have legalized recreational cannabis and are not immune from medical cannabis laws.

Jeffrey Zucker, company president Green Lion Partners, In fact, the company is keen to reassure American consumers: «Consumers of medical cannabis won't have to return to the black market. And [businesses] can relax a little knowing that their hard work is not in vain, and that their employees» jobs are protected".

Trump's final twist

So, on Friday, US President Donald Trump did indeed approve Budget 0 for the fight against medical cannabis. However, despite his signature, the president hinted that he might ignore the Rohrabacher-Ferr amendment. Indeed, Donald Trump declared that «this provision will be addressed consistently through my constitutional responsibilities, and I will ensure that the laws are faithfully executed».

In other words, Trump says the administration can launch a lawsuit against states that legalize medical cannabis, if he feels like it. Boastful or scaremongering?

The Rohrabacher-Ferr amendment, included in the spending bill amounting to $1 billion for 5 months, has been renewed until September 2017, giving a priori 5 months of respite to the medical cannabis industry in the US.

Mehdi Bautier