Medical marijuana industry in Maine prepares to fight Jeff Sessions’ nonsensical War on Drugs – Daily Kos

The medical marijuana community in Maine is hoping that Trump will respect the 10th amendment (state's rights).

Whatever happened to the Republicans supposed enduringlove for states rights? This is a question worth asking because Jeff Sessions latest move to impede states from legal medical and recreational marijuana use demonstratesthe exact opposite. In May, he asked Congress to allow him lift the Rohrabacher-Farr amendmentin order to prosecute medical marijuana providers stating that it would inhibit (the Justice Departments) authority to enforce the Controlled Substances Act. This will have a deleterious impact on a number of lawful marijuana growers and medical providers around the country. And in Maine, people are really worried.

If Congress supports the request from Sessions, thousands of medical marijuana providers and related businesses that support an estimated 50,000 medical marijuana patients in Maine could face federal criminal prosecution or other sanctions.

Waitin addition to this being federal overreach into states rights, arent Republicans supposed to be the party that supports local businesses? And the rights of patients to make their own medical decisions? Talk about hypocrisy. But none of that willstop Sessions. Hes still trying to make the case that this is about stopping illegal drug use and drug trafficking. Except it wont. Medical marijuana, in particular, has been helpful in stopping prescription drug abuse as well as helping to treat individuals with a number of chronic medical conditions. And marijuana advocates know that this is shameful and misguided.

[Catherine Lewis, chairwoman for the Medical Marijuana Caregivers of Maine] who called Sessions and the Trump administration uneducated for associating marijuana with the opiate addiction epidemic said Sessions request wasnt a surprise, but was met with dismay and disappointment by caregivers and patients with whom she has spoken.

Its downright frightening. Without us here, there are people who will suffer, there are children who will have untreatable seizures, she said. There will be parents and grandparents who could go to jail for doing nothing more than trying to saved loves ones.

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Medical marijuana industry in Maine prepares to fight Jeff Sessions' nonsensical War on Drugs - Daily Kos