Trump Administration Major Threat to Legal Marijuana

Wishful thinking does not change reality.

By Habit 420
Oregon Cannabis Connection

I have read opinion after opinion on how the Trump administration will not go after marijuana growers, or businesses in states that have legalize the plant. I just want to remind everyone that they are opinions, and that is all. It seems most of the opinions indicating Trump will be lenient on legal marijuana is coming from a person that has skin in the game or is a libertarian that smoked too much Mickey Kush! It’s a classic bury your head in the sand point of view, and its foolish at best and likely a very risky stance to take.

I personally think, but have no hard evidence, that a large group of those arguing that Trump will be anything but the loose cannon he is are supporters of Trump and probably voted for him. The others that take this stance and did not vote for Trump are in serious denial about the facts. Lets go over some claims being made and dispute them with the truths we know.

Claim: Trump is a businessman and wont want to interfere with such a huge, and blossoming, industry.

Truth: Donald Trump’s success as a businessman is dubious at best. This claim is not based on reality since no one has seen his taxes or can confirm he is anything more than a man who is licensing his name to go onto some buildings. His debts on these structures is enormous and he, or his investors, owe billions of dollars on them. Additionally, Trump has gone through bankruptcy 5 times, something other truly great businessmen like Warren Buffet and Mark Cuban have never done, not even once. His experience as a businessman is not one of success, it’s simply one of big claims and arrogant bravado, nothing more. Trump has no idea what a truly successful business is and never will.

Claim: The Cole Memo sets the standard for state’s marijuana laws.

Truth: The Cole Memo was just a memo, and it was from the Obama administration, too. The Department of Justice is now led by notorious former Alabama Senator Jefferson Beauregard Sessions who has repeatedly commented that he thinks marijuana is bad and, most recently, that the business of marijuana is, “More violent than one would think.” Also, the Cole Memo is directed at medical marijuana back in 2013. It is not a defense for the recreational use that is now legal in 8 states and Washington D.C. Not many people are hanging their hat on the Cole Memo, but I have heard that argument a few times in the past months.

Claim: Congress has protected legal states by disallowing the Dept of Justice to receive any funds for raids or prosecutions in those states.

Truth: The amendment, which was first passed in 2014, is best known as the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment. The amendment states, “None of the funds made available in this Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with respect to the [States with legal medical marijuana] to prevent such States from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.” Sounds great, but that’s only medical marijuana and this amendment must be renewed every year, and still has yet to be officially approved for the fiscal year 2017. The 2017 budget is still operating on a continuing resolution (CR) from 2016. In fact, this provision could be stripped from the budget before the final budget is approved. The CR expires April 28, 2017, so the supposed protections provided by the amendment could end in just a few weeks. Also, they don’t need to rescind this amendment to go after recreational marijuana since this is aimed only at states with medical marijuana laws.

Claim: Trump commented on the campaign trail that marijuana is a “states rights” issue.

Truth: So what? The real truth is that campaign claims mean absolutely nothing, especially coming from Donald Trumps overworked lying mouth. If you think Trump will do anything but defer these decisions to his racist, homophobic, reefer madness suffering Attorney General, then you are completely delusional. These claims are beyond naïve. It’s the people that bring this argument up that I expect were supporters of our new “so-called” president.

So, as you read articles or hear people’s opinions on how Donald Trump will be lenient on the marijuana industry, just refer to these facts, and ask yourself a few simple questions: Does the person writing this have a stake in the industry? Have they invested millions in the industry, or have a boss that has? Is their livelihood wrapped up in the marijuana industry? If your answer is yes to any of these, then their view is probably biased towards a positive outcome.

It’s not too unlike CBD being effectively defined as Schedule I by the DEA a few months ago. It was devastating news, but many argued it’s legal as a interstate trade commodity, regardless of what the DEA said. Problem is, most had a major stake in the medical hemp industry that produces the CBD oil. It would be very inconvenient to think that the product they have invested so much time and money into producing is not legal for interstate trade, especially when the potential profits are so enormous.

Just like the medical hemp growers, the marijuana industry will continue to operate, even in violation of federal law. But those that believe that they are safe from the Dept of Justice are driven by the potential profits they seek, not reason. To argue that the industry is safe is folly and dangerous. The facts speak for themselves. Trump is a direct threat to marijuana laws across the country.