We have some dire news to share. This morning, President-Elect Trump announced his pick for Attorney General and it couldn’t be much worse for the marijuana law reform movement and our recent legalization victories.
Trump’s pick, Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, is a militant prohibitionist. We could go into great detail how Senator Sessions has been an outspoken opponent against reform, but in this case his rhetoric is so off the wall…we’ll let his past statements speak for themselves:
“You have to have leadership from Washington. You can’t have the President of the United States of America talking about marijuana … you are sending a message to young people that there is no danger in this process. It is false that marijuana use doesn’t lead people to more drug use. It is already causing a disturbance in the states that have made it legal.”
“It was the prevention movement that really was so positive, and it led to this decline. The creating of knowledge that this drug is dangerous, it cannot be played with, it is not funny, it’s not something to laugh about, and trying to send that message with clarity, that good people don’t smoke marijuana.”
“Lady Gaga says she’s addicted to [marijuana] and it is not harmless.”
His former colleagues testified Sessions used the n-word and joked about the Ku Klux Klan, saying he thought they were “okay, until he learned that they smoked marijuana.”
SOUNDS CRAZY, RIGHT? DONATE TODAY TO HELP US BE READY TO FIGHT BACK
Senator Sessions is clearly out in the deep end when it comes to issues of marijuana policy and he stands diametrically opposed to the majority of Americans who favor the legalization and regulation of marijuana. This could foreshadow some very bad things for the eight states that have legalized marijuana for adult use and in the 29 states with with medical marijuana programs. With the authority the position of Attorney General provides, Sessions could immediately get to work attempting to block the implementation of the recent ballot initiatives, dismantling a legal industry in Washington, Colorado, Oregon, and Alaska, and begin conducting massive raids on existing medical and recreational retail stores.
We must be ready to fight back. We must be ready to mobilize in defense of all of our hard fought victories. We already have our opponents calling for a recount in Maine and prohibitionists in Massachusetts working to gut core provisions like home cultivation from their state’s initiative. With an assist from a newly minted prohibitionist Attorney General, things might get worse before they get better.
Help us send a message to President-Elect Trump and his Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions that the American people won’t stand for intervention into state marijuana programs and we want to move towards descheduling at the federal level and legalization in all 50 states.
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Well i just hope he actually cares about people’s health and well being as the nation’s attorney general. Many people use this plant as a very helpful medicine. I sure would watch that man’s private interactions though. Someone should keep an eye on this guy!!!
What exactly is a “good person”?
A good person is someone who supports facts, truth and science to reach the conclusion that what may not be perceived as good for oneself is in fact good for another human being, and through diligent research and recognition we can achieve laws and regulations for the common good of us all.
For reference, a bad person is one who uses the law and power of law enforcement to effectively take from others for one’s own personal gain, regardless of facts or science.
If legalized “across the board”, Sessions would be astounded by the number and quality of the “moral” and otherwise”law-abiding citizens” that surround him. He shouldn’t be so damn obtuse. People like him I believe to have low IQ, no reasoning skills. Also, Big Alcohol and Big Pharm have endless resources. We as people must shut them down. My solution: brew your own, grow your own, and be careful of what your doc is so enthusiastic about prescribing. Some “legal” meds can easily destroy one’s family and life. This is the bed that we sleep in. Not right.
Well Hitler had a standard, the Spanish Inquisitioners had a standard, The Klu Klux Klan has a standard, I am sure you can think of some more. Those are some of histories more famous “Good People” google each to see how they devolved and what exactly their respective standards were.
A good person is somebody who puts the needs of others before the needs of themselves. This guy is clearly a racist, and doesn’t have the American people’s best interests in mind. Cannabis is medicine and our government knows this but our government is oppressive. MLK Jr. said it is our duty to disobey any unjust laws so continue to protest peacefully my brothers and sisters.
whos paying who
Trey Gowdy for AG!
Trey Gowdy voted against all bills allowing medical use in the State of South Carolina.
I don’t use pot now I did for years it relaxed me so I could sleep it calmed my nerves anexity depression stopped pain longer and better then a pain pill I didn’t have the sight effects that pills caused it didn’t hurt my liver please of it browed naturally without any harmful chemicals or additives and under a controlled agency legalize it this could really help a lot of ppl with arthritis fibromyalgia cancer seizures glaucoma
Regina, I of course have no clue how your command of English was before you ever used pot, but judging from grammar, spelling, sentence structure and punctuation … it made you a jumbled mess. Sorry to say.
so you say pot is bad and should be made illegal again?
Oh Shit! Even the “grammar police” have reefer madness!
Probably the effects of all those ‘legal’ remedies!
Oh please! Look past the spelling mistakes, and grammar. Most can do this. Those who cannot, only make fools of themselves.
The grammar teacher has spoken.. keep on the subject smart one.
Would you walk up to some stranger and correct them. It takes a pretty arrogant person to point out someone else’s shortcomings . This goes back to your don’t know her life and apparently you need to work on your own. No need to be cruel.
Reads like somebody doing one of those stream-of-conciousness raps to me.
So you troll the internet for being so intent on grammar, but you don’t have the forethought to recognize a new bilingual having trouble with the structure. Maybe they’re learning to speak a new language, or, perhaps taking consideration for those here in a English rich environment and using (Google) translation software?
Nope, you assume that the individual is incapable of making proper use of the English grammar, and what’s more, you base that assumption around your preconceived notions feed to you that this drug makes people dumb and incapable. English – of one of the harder languages to understand, grammatical speaking, for people outside of the U.S.
Ignorance is not your friend.
..someone here who not only suffers from debilitating arthritis but also nauseating side effects from diabetes and cholesterol meds the latter which can sometimes be so bad it make me just want to stay in bed. For now I live in one of those states that has legalised cannabis for both medical and recreational use. I certainly don’t need nor want another pharma product for my arthritis to make me feel even sicker with its side effects, or rot my digestive system and liver out with OTC NSAIDS.
The biggest threat from cannabis is not to society, but to the profits of the pharma and alcohol industries. Already, usage of opiates and have declined in states with legal medical cannabis. Likewise for alcohol consumption in states with legal recreational use. These are multi billion dollar interests that will do whatever it takes, as well as pay whatever it costs to protect their markets and profit margins through smear campaigns, PACs, and sanctioned bribery (lobbying) of our government officials.
Meanwhile cannabis in it’s various forms has been documented to reverse various conditions including some which are considered incurable such as crohn’s disease and certain forms of cancer. When a medication that may cost only a few hundred dollars is able offer more and lasting positive results than something which can run into the tens if not hundreds of thousands, you would think it was a good thing. Not so for the pharma companies that have a vested interest in not making you well, or at least not as quickly, so they can milk as much as possible out of you.
The people have spoken. You work for the people. Do not implement your agenda against The American People’s will. Ethical and Moral character have nothing to do with cannabis usage, however given your past comments on The KKK alone, I’d imagine your morals and character have already been compromised. Do your job, fight actual crime and earn that elitist paycheck you work oh so hard for. People who think differently than you are not the enemy. Be responsible and not drunk on power. Keep Cannabis Legal
Then the people should have thought about that before they voted for a guy that staffed his campaign with people that are staunch anti-cannabis prohibitionists.
these people only care about their own agenda
How dare you intimate that marijuana users are bad people? By what measure do you come to this outrageous and asinine assumption? Look at the statistics, look at the facts. In states where marijuana has been legalized, violent crime has dropped significantly. Medically, it is incredibly beneficial, has NONE of the side effects of legal pharmaceuticals, and does not drain the finances of the seriously ill. My wife is a cancer patient, she is dying. None of the pharmaceutical treatments have given her any relief from her pain and suffering, on the contrary, they have only served to increase her pain and her symptoms, and greatly reduced her quality of life. Marijuana and its derivatives have given her relief from her suffering, increased her appetite, and increased her quality of life. I would expect no different attitude from you though, as you are a craven, bigoted pathetic old bastard unfit to hold office in this great nation of ours. You and your cronies in the KKK make me sick.
Not sure
^^^we need this in Illinois. our state is in shambles n i believe legalizing marijuana is a good thing for Illinois. use the tax dollars this will generate into getting our state back inline. ppl are ashamed to say they live here. says:^^That is one hell of a username!
This is horrible, im already in a state that will probably never legalize anyway, but this news makes it all that much worse. In your process to fight back, do some fighting in kentucky, kentucky is one of the biggest producers of cannabis in the nation, and its still 100 percent illegal. I would love to see it actually become legal here.
To the writer in Kentucky, Arkansas can get it medicinally legal, I’m sure with enough hard work, Kentucky can too. Gotta start with signatures to get it on the ballot
I told you guys in advance and you did very little to stand behind the Democrats.
What difference does it make. Democrats are just as bad. Obama had 8 years to legalize and he blew it
Congress has to deschedule marijuana. Read my latest post and contact your Senator. To avoid the Federal courts from ending state legalization, President Obama tactfully and graciously sent memos to the DOJ to stay out of the way of state legalization while not using an executive order that would have surely been sent to court by a Republican Congress just like they did to his executive orders on immigration.
You have been bamboozled by a pathological liar. Please contribute to NORML, subscribe to a real investigative news source such as The Guardian, The Washington Post or the New York Times. Do not get your facts from sensationalist entertainment propaganda like Facebook. If you insist on getting your news from YouTube, subscribe to independent news sources like The Young Turks. Or just take 10 minutes out of your day to research the sources cited in the publications you read. Fake news is going to get worse with Bannon in charge of the White House and it’s going to be up to us to seek the truth.
No Obama was the most pro weed President yet. Admitted to smoking it when he was in High School, refused to give the standard ” worst mistake of my life only did it once” phony rap.
Gave the green light to state efforts, ” you pass it on your own,, I won’t undo it ”
CONGRESS WRITES THE LAWS, NOT THE PRESIDENT
And do you see Obama getting something like legalizing marijuana past the last three
REPUBLICAN legislatures,,,, cause I don’t
You can say Hillary was a Terrible not candidate,,, she was
You can say Trump gave you a hard on ,,, I’m sure.
You can say that on Wall Street,, Foreign interventions, selling out to China, there’s hardly a perceptible difference between Dems and Reps… You’d be right.
But on marijuana,,, no, even Hillary would have had the high ground, Take Jeff Sessions,,,,,, Please
Hey, “I told you so” – I’m with you. I knew Trump was lying like a rug because he is a liar. Kept shaking my head and knocking on the next door for my local candidate. She won with 58%. Small potatoes.
I didn’t do a survey, but it seemed the legalization community just took the candidate at their word. Hillary is no saint, but she doesn’t lie and her friends in the back like the madman.
People who have done illegal things with other people have some experience in judging character. I’m really not sure why they wouldn’t do that. Too much Liberation influence I think.
When you know someone acts like a gangster or a cop, why are you surprised when they turnout to be a gangster or a cop?
that comment made absolutely no sense. Hillary lied to congress in front of the world. She doesn’t stab her friends in the back, word on the street says she poisons them, has them run off the road into bridges or has them shot point blank in the street. The rest of your statement was too incomprehensible to comment on. That being said, norml in my opinion is a bunch of law school drop outs that sit on computers in their parent’s basement, asking for donations, smoking bongs. That being said……..FREE THE WEED!!!
If you truly wish to “free the weed” please learn to read before you write, and cite before you fight. For example, when I just googled “What Attorney General would Hillary Clinton have picked” the first link on the list was “The Angry Patriot.” After reading that pile of regurgitated vomit of baseless accusations without citation or evidence, I began to understand what could create the vacuum of obnoxious self-contradiction your comment embodies. But just so you know how to finish and cite a comment, here’s a link to what someone who understands basic civics, or the definition of a blind trust, or… how to read… would have picked for her AG nomination:
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/insiders-game-out-clintons-cabinet-226599
It’s REAL easy; You see when you make a comment, you find a reputable publication that sponsors real investigative journalism, such as Politico, The Washington Post, The New York Times, or in your case, you could start with reading this blog Erik Altieri wrote beFORE you post anything embarrassing. (Context… it helps…), Then you highlight the link by right clicking on the web address. A screen should pop up that says “copy.” Click on the copy button. Now when you write your comment, before making a complete jack-@$$-imbecile of yourself, you can right click under your comment and “paste” your well researched peer–reviewed study, or reputable article from a professional journalist and vualah! You’re one step closer to not being considered a douchebag.
Marijuana can only help you if you choose to seek the truth. It’s like I’ve been saying; You can lead the fool to the Herb of Wisdom but you can’t fix Stupid.
Hillary doesn’t lie? When will you all learn. Very disappointing.
It’s mourning in America. Sessions will make Reagan’s War on Drugs look like Woodstock.
Gil? I thought you were dead? 😉
I hear you, this ain’t good. An ounce of prevention would have been worth a ton of cure. The cows are out of the barn. why bother shutting the gate?
But it’s not 1974… this guy Barack Obama was just president for 8 years, and he’s leaving with better than 50% approval rating. The magic number is 270.
I don’t think so. Peter Thiel is advising Trump. Peter is investing in the Marley brand.
http://classicalvalues.com/2016/12/donald-trump-on-marijuana/
“Sessions used the n-word and joked about the Ku Klux Klan, saying he thought they were “okay, until he learned that they smoked marijuana.””
… that’a joke right?
Sorry Senetor but you are sadly mistaken many GOOD people smoke marijuana. I partake to eliviate long turn back pain from spinal stenosis. It works. Ether than any prescribed pain meds with no side effects. Get a grip and lose the “Refer Madness” mentality. I have been smoking marijuana for the last 49 years with the exception of those years when I had to submit to random testing for a job. Addictive and a Gate Way drug !!!! Ha do some research, nothing could be further from the truth!!
Please reconsider racist nominees. Please allow states to govern themselves.
It should only be for medical purposes. People over medicate themselves with alcohol ever since it became legal. People under the influence of mj or alcohol should not operate machinery including vehicles. It has to be used with caution.
Fucc this bitxh ass senator he won’t last he will get assinated stupid dumbass rich punk from Alabama. He wants more money from prisons.making tax payers pay more. I bet his daughter smoking right now getting laid snorting coke down there rich nose.fuck them all.
hey man, be careful……watch what you post….just saying…..
Trump would be a fool to let sessions run wild on cannabis users.
North Dakota – Trump 64.1 Hillary 27.8 – Medical 63.7 yes 36.3 no
Florida – Trump 49.1 Hillary 47.8 – Medical 71.3 yes 28.7 no
Arkansas – Trump 60.4 Hillary 33.8 – Medical 53.2 yes 46.8 no
Montana – Trump 56.5 Hillary 36.0 – Medical 57.6 yes 42.4 no
Holy Shit !
Trump is picking plenty of Good Ol boys – only problem is the world has changed and America has changed since the 1980s.
If (President elect) Trump had any sense he would pick some people to appease all the liberals, democrats and republican establishment. Donald is way out of his depth and stirring up trouble will not make things any easier for him.
Sure Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III might go in for the attack on marijuana but he will be picking an unnecessary fight without public support on his side. The Trump honeymoon will soon be over and those people who voted for him will want to see results on the issues he campaigned on. After all they all thought Trump was different didn’t they ?
My bet is sessions will hit illegal immigrants first.
Oh, I know. Make America Great Again should NOT mean taking us back to post-WWII America or further, those days are gone. Global world now, and young people and progressives are NOT big fans of the GOP and conservatives of old. The GOP must indeed change and adapt or it is indeed doomed, don’t let this or the next election fool you. The GOP has problems as well, and that good ol boy mentality does still exist in the GOP as well. It is one this country is sick of. I will give this…..country of old men a chance….but it is probably their last hurrah. This is a new and global and progressive century, and the progress is ripe for the taking. I just hope the taking does not take more than four years. And that all regression is reversed again. Love him or hate him, I am going to miss Obama as well, and we all know Sanders could have won, not Trump. But it does not matter. This should be the century of progress, and when younger generations come into office and power, hopefully it will be.
Good post; I agree with much of what you say.
This is uncalled for. Trump is going to be looking for money to pay for all this crap he promised the mid-west, you know all those people who got him to the White House, cause main stream America didn’t. Getting the Feds to totally legalize Marijuana is the perfect answer. I almost died the other day when I seen an ad that I could get weed delivered anywhere in Canada. We need that here, Trump needs to do that, out with Jeff Sessions!
Thanks republicans, you unpatriotic, freedom restricting, a-holes. It will be so good when these older douchebags die off. They are tearing America apart. Do you feel good, sending people to jail for consuming a plant? FAQ
Hey pro-legalization Trump supporter! Are you starting to feel like a big dumb sucker right about now? Damn straight! Trump played you for a sucker. And you couldn’t wait, could you? You ate it up, you racist little piece of shit — hook line and sinker. Trump said bend over, and you bent over. Now he’s reaming you. If you want to go to prison, that’s your business. But you dragged the rest of us into your shithole along with you, you goddamn redneck retard.
Now we’re all in deep shit. Way to go, asshole. That’s where all your pro-Trump bullshit got you. Got any more pro-Trump bullshit for us? About how he’s all about states’ rights and shit? About how he’s going to de-schedule? You fucking morons.
And let me say, for the record, Fuck Jeff Sessions and his racist, pea-brain, numb-nut comments.
“Hey pro-legalization Trump supporter! Are you starting to feel like a big dumb sucker right about now?”
Well no. I didn’t expect any better from Hillary. Obama hasn’t rescheduled. I didn’t expect anything from her on the issue.
Yeah. I heard her promises. She lies.
This program has come along way. My mom has terminal cancer and it’s been a godsend for pain management. I urge you to consider the addiction rate to doctor prescribed opiates before making any major decisions on this program. Check the research.
very sorry for you and yours and your mom, Jen….strength to you and her and yours.
Any chance NORML could get in touch with the congressmen from states that have legalized cannabis (medically or for recreation) and have them pen a letter to Obama petitioning him to reschedule it before he leaves office? I always thought that was something he would do at the end of his term, but he’s running out of time!
That would help with this issue some, as it would limit what he could do as an AG. It would also require Trump to make a very unpopular decision to reschedule it (and at the current level) for him to do much damage as AG.
Nevermind… doesn’t look like there’s enough time for Obama to re/de-schedule it. Didn’t realize it wasn’t a simple executive order, he actually has to petition the current AG and then HHS has to review it.
Good idea. Norml needs to engage with the states and officials that have legalised.
Let the people decide what the people want.This is The United States right? Home of the free and all that,well let us vote and see who does and who doesn’t want legalization.Leave our plant alone. It is after all a plant.Let us vote state by state. It seems almost illegal for all these states not involved in medical or full legalization. Fuck this redneck!!!!!!!!!!!
Where do they dig up these back woods fuddy-duddys.The most power these people should have is chief of outhouses.
This is bad news for all of us. Just when I thought we had come so far as a nation with repealing regressive marijuana laws, now we have a potential AG who will stop all this progress. This is just bad.
When were these statements made? Yesterday? Last year? Five years ago? Twenty years ago?
[Paul Armentano responds: Aside from the KKK comment, Sen. Sessions anti-marijuana comments are from the past couple of years. And there are many additional comments to choose from, many more of which are sourced here: http://www.marijuana.com/blog/news/2016/11/trump-picks-marijuana-opponent-for-attorney-general/.%5D
It’s November 18th
Support for marijuana legalization is growing,
Several states have decriminalized it’s use.
Many people get prescriptions for medical use.
Everyone smokes weed, teachers, police officers, even people in the government have admitted to it.
In just a few years it will be legal in every state.
And some guy just got elected president who’s going to make America great again.
It’s November 18th,,,,,, 1980
Alabama even has its medical marijuana restricted to just CBD oil.
http://www.thecannabist.co/2016/05/11/alabama-medical-marijuana-gov-bentley-mmj-oil-bill/53600/
Even Jeff’s home state has budged from the federal absolute prohibition. If you want the CBD from the plant you have to grow the plant, and when you grow the whole plant you get some THC with it. Jeff, it’s just like saying the alphabet: if you say A you have to say B. You can’t have one without the other. The reality is that cannabis has other medical benefits in forms other than just what Alabama has legalized. You can’t just spend more money on stopping and reversing legalization when you feds are planning on getting back into that costly Middle East mess. So are you guys going to do the Malthusian war spending to rev up military-industrial jobs in the US while reducing the population size of people who will need jobs? More war? The more things change the more things stay the same.
The Beat Goes On
by
Sonny & Cher
You have no right to judge people as “good” or “bad” based on whether or not they smoke marijuana. It has been PROVEN that marijuana is more beneficial than prescription medication for many, many diseases including seizures, PTSD, and MS, among many, many others. You have no right to take this medication away from the American public.
Enjoy it while you can. You know damn well that a line up like that is going to bring the hammer down on legal and possibly medical marijuana.
We got a brief period of a few areas with legal marijuana, but it will be over soon. I hope I am wrong, but this is a hardline group and even under so called liberals they wouldn’t budge. Expect a full crackdown, you know these folks don’t have compassion.
In other words be ready to be pushed down hill into the mud, we will have to fight every inch back up over the next few years.
I think you are wrong. Peter Thiel is investing in Marley brand. Peter is advising Trump.
http://classicalvalues.com/2016/12/donald-trump-on-marijuana/
Pence and Sessions can both fuck off and die. There’s too many people cultivators both large and small that are creating jobs and contributing to the economy for trump to pull the plug. Sessions can go chase the immigration issues. These are nightmare boss hog asshats, thanks America for voting these pieces of shit into office.
“He cannot do anything to me, that that S…O…B… Castro has not already done.” Jeff Sessions cannot “win” the war on drugs, but he can stain his soul in the destruction of families, freedoms, and economies. Our historic connections to the black market prove we do not need federal approval, or state approval, or anyone’s OK to smoke marijuana instead of using other drugs. We only need approval to pay taxes on our weed. Sessions can only hurt the taxed and regulated systems.
Aqui no Brasil é um passo pra trás mais três passos pra trás.
Formam um capítulo NORML no Brasil e envolver seu Congress. Vivo no Texas e depois de anos de cidadão lobby meu representante de estado local está escutando. Nunca perca a esperança. Esperança é um trabalho duro.
Julian,
Portuguese? I’m impressed!
My wife wont stop watching Brazilian telenovelas. My grammar is still terrible. But if you hear it stoned enough and you see how laid back the Portuguese are the language takes root onya. Take THAT Low IQ-stoner-myth! I get stoned almost every day, Im 38, and Im vicaruously learning a new language!
I just hope the new UN Secratary and former Prime Minister of Portugal will resist Trump’s fascist, prohibitionist influence and listen to the will of the people. He did it before when he successfully decriminalized Portugal in 2001. I was in Lisbon this summer and I gotta say they got it way better than we do.
We got one tiny silver lining in Trump’s terrorist organization of cabinet appointees; He appointed the governor of South Carolina, Nickey Haley to UN ambassador. She may only have a -C on the NORML Gubernatorial Scorecard, but at least she doesnt appear poised to roll back on international progress to end the drug war; (we hope);
http://www.fitsnews.com/2016/05/04/props-to-nikki-haley-on-medical-marijuana/
Specifically she seems enticed with decriminalizing medicinal marijuana. She could work together with UN Secratary Antonio Gutterres to decriminalize marijuana world wide;
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=55285#.WDWjG7VOLYU
Why aren’t these quotes cited, I’d like to believe them but basic journalism dictates the requirement of basic proof, time, place, context,etc,.
[Paul Armentano responds:
http://norml.org/congressional-scorecard/alabama
NORML Grade: F
Comments
“You have to have leadership from Washington. You can’t have the President of the United States of America talking about marijuana … you are sending a message to young people that there is no danger in this process. It is false that marijuana use doesn’t lead people to more drug use. It is already causing a disturbance in the States that have made it legal.” 3/7/2016 During a discussion of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2015
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/04/05/senators-one-sided-marijuana-hearing-is-heavy-on-anecdote-light-on-data/?postshare=3881459881740934&tid=ss_tw-bottom
Caucus member Jeff Sessions (R.-Al.) spoke of the need to foster “knowledge that this drug is dangerous, you cannot play with it, it is not funny, it’s not something to laugh about… and to send that message with clarity that good people don’t smoke marijuana.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/19/us/politics/jeff-sessions-donald-trump-attorney-general.html?_r=2
While serving as a United States prosecutor in Alabama, Mr. Sessions was nominated in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan for a federal judgeship. But his nomination was rejected <http://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/06/us/senate-panel-hands-reagan-first-defeat-on-nominee-for-judgeship.html> by the Republican-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee because of racially charged comments and actions. At that time, he was one of two judicial nominees whose selections were halted by the panel in nearly 50 years.
In testimony before the committee, former colleagues said that Mr. Sessions had referred to the N.A.A.C.P., the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and other civil rights groups as “un-American” and “Communist-inspired.” An African-American federal prosecutor then, Thomas H. Figures, said Mr. Sessions had referred to him as “boy” and testified that Mr. Sessions said the Ku Klux Klan was fine “until I found out they smoked pot.”]
Yep. He’s a prohibitionist alright.
I expect NORML to adapt and intensify. If we keep letting courts and “play nice” politics dictate the flow of battle, we will lose our momentum.
No more Mr. Nice Guy, please.
Be respectful when you write your Congressman.
With that said…
I agree that Democrats have to turn into obstructionist considering the choices for Trump’s cabinet; just don’t forget to work with the reasonable Republicans we have left. With respect, we can create reason.
So yes, we should read every good study ever published on marijuana and get ready to filabuster Trump’s nomination to the Supreme Court. This includes his sister, Marryanne Trump Barry, who I wouldn’t be surprised gets nominated…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryanne_Trump_Barry
Family vendettas?
Which lead me to find facts on Trump’s ties to illegal drug trafficking, which explains why he is so adamantly opposed to legalization:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/10/19/the-drug-trafficker-donald-trump-risked-his-casino-empire-to-protect.html
Unfortunately, when The Daily Beast dropped the “Weichselbaum,” we were all too busy wondering what Trump was sniffling for in the second debate to RESEARCH his deep ties to illegal cocaine and marijuana trafficking. As anyone from the East Coast already suspected, legalizing marijuana would cut into the profits of some of Trump’s closest friends and clients.
I’m not attacking drug traffickers under the radar of the DOJ. Without their brave work we would never have access to marijuana with which to open our minds to failed drug policy in the first place.
But at the same time we cant ignore the fact that our own CIA, DOJ and organized crime from banks to casinos (and now campaign laundering) have a vested interest in maintaining prohibition to keep the illegal money and assets flowing in their direction.
We have to research to build a case for impeachment. But let’s be careful not to get hostile or threaten to kill the president or any fascist he appoints to cabinet because those threats have to be investigated by the Secret Service and the DOJ… even if the credibility they seek in not in our best interests.
This guy is horrible. We cannot stand by idly and watch him fuck with legal states. The movement must continue. We need to mobilize forces for legalization and fight for legalization.
trouble is, there may not be much or anything we can do but protest….and hope
I agree with you completely but I feel so helpless. This is a nightmare! Why oh why did this happen after everything we have gone through to get this far? It could all be destroyed right before our eyes. I just want to cry.
You better rethink this guy ,Mr. Trump ! You going to have veterans trun on your ass!
You can’t find a better person than Jeff Sessions. Yes, at the Federal level Marijuana is illegal and most people agree it should be I think. However, their are some states that would
disagree and maybe they could request the Federal Government to make this a state decision along with other things like abortion. Education could be done better at the state level too. Federal Governments number one responsibility is to protect it’s people and should spend their resources stopping terrorist initiatives here at home.
Keep thawing out… I know it must be traumatic being cryogenically frozen for 45 years, but you will heal. Start tepidly researching the truth in cold water and work your organs back into function with a nice deep toke on some pine-smelling Trainwreck. If you survive the initial shock when you read the latest polls you just might live long enough to cure your cerebral infection.
We need to get Obama to de-schedule it before he leaves. Sometimes I swear he has that look in his eyes that he smoked. Who agrees with both statements? DESCHEDULE NOW
Sessions is a very fundamentalist Christian and strong prohibitionist. I thought god does not make mistakes and yet he made marijuana. I voted for trump and do not care for sessions and his ilk. Btw, I am a nurse practitioner and have held the hands of the dying. I am hardly a “bad” person!!!
Yet again NORML and other activist groups sell out their constituency while ignoring the law. Pretending to need to be prepared to go on defense is, at this point, a crime.
NORML and other advocacy groups failure to demand that state’s remove cannabis from Schedule One is the only reason state’s are still vulnerable to federal interference. The remedy for this untenable situation is to first remove cannabis from Schedule One at the state level, then demand that the State Attorney General file notice with the federal government to remove cannabis from Federal Schedule One. Until that happens, all state laws are setting up patients to fail.
Earlier this morning Bill Piper from the DPA tried to claim that federal law overrides state law. Cases on NORML’s own national site that explain that state law actually supercedes federal law need to be highlighted and blogged about. It is no longer time to be on the defensive, and long past time to go on the offensive. Either finish what you started, or admit you don’t want to. It’s that fast, and that obvious.
Until you follow the remedy the courts have told you to follow you should turn in your claim of being lawyers. You’re selling out everyone, and are allowing elected officials to get away with treason. Do the right thing and demand the laws be held up to the highest standard, or admit you don’t want to. Either way, this travesty has gone on long enough.
Thank you for wasting everyone’s time. One day, I hope you explain what the law actually says — then, you, and the other national groups, will finally deserve the respect you demand from your ill informed donors.
Shame. On. You.
Have a good day.
uhm… you DO realize that the scheduling system is not a state law by any means, and exists solely to federal authority through the Controlled Substances Act of 1970? Only Congress can deschedule: Any executive decision to do otherwise can be sent by Congress… or in this case by the AG, to a Federal court where state legalization will be overturned… hence the reason why we need to donate to NORML.
I mean this in all honesty: Where do you get your facts and news from?
You are only partially correct as well. AG Lynch and the HHS can reschedule/deschedule themselves as well.
And according to the catch-22 written into the CSAct, and recent statements by Pres. Obama, the DEA must sign off on de or rescheduling, to which they have not and will not. And even if they did Sessions could still take the executive decision to federal court. Congress has to amend or repeal the CSAct. The way we are going to do that is to continue the push at the state and international level while Trump reveals his true prohibitionist nature.
Great. Some out of touch piece of sh*t senator deciding what is good for “we the people”. In the latest gallop poll, 60% of Americans believe marijuana should be legal for recreational use. Does he not work for the people? Well, the people have spoken.
I know cannabis makes me peaceful and nice, so I obviously haven’t smoked today. If this Sessions asshole tries to repeal the progress we have made on this front, we have to dig in and declare all out war on this douche. We need to be organized, or it will fail. I hope some of you will march beside me if need be, if you won’t fight for what you want then it must not be worth it. Think about that last line for a while, preferably over a nice indica.
This is why I never burned bridges with my weed guy’s. I knew at some point the country was going to go extreme right. Relying on the “legal market” as if it was going to be around forever was nothing but a pipe dream.
Flood the market!
Hereeee we go…..
I don’t know if Sessions will RISK trying to enforce the Federal law, it is also Trump’s FIRST term, and he has to be careful on this…..and they have the immigration issue to worry about, and the majority support for legalization. I think we might get lucky on this one, the prohibitionists MIGHT be too late on THIS one. But there is of course, great reason to fear. If they do attack, I think it was Kapala or Kampala of MPP who had said recently it is not likely to be a full-on frontal assault, rather that they will take aim at “fat” targets like marijuana celebrities, etc. I did enjoy Maher inviting Holder on on the 11th….also, I hope NORML and the others are aware the AG of Tennessee just issued his opinion that the ordinances in Memphis and Nashville for decrim. cannot stand. But just putting a side note out there, and that is unfortunate…one senator or rep, Lamberth or someone is threatening highway fund withholds. DeWine in Ohio told Toledo something similar, I think. We shall see, and, although his immigration stance is horrible, and although I originally though Sessions would favor those just say No days or whatever, honestly? Perhaps he is NOT the worst that could have happened, I think Guiliani or Christie would have been more aggressive…also, one guy I am happy is NOT AG? Bill Bennett, former DEA. I could have him mistaken for someone else, but I believe he recently said that that sch. 1 rating should stay JUST WHERE IT IS. He is against marijuana legalization, thinking like that, these old men…throw back to the last century. It would be awful if some of these dudes were in office, just awful. Sessions might not be the worst, honestly, but, of course, his appointment is cause for great concern.
As was also said recently, if I remember correctly, at the same conference, we must remain mobilized now, and probably more than ever. Also, be aware….as I have said before, this movement is still very fragile. We MUST get more and more states onboard, while we are powerful, and while Sabet’s idea of just faxing retail stores to close within a month or two and shutting down legalization is not realistic, as it would be far more complicated, we still need more states to solidify our power base as of now, and in other areas of the country. We need to start hitting some central states, and, frankly, we would NOT mind some help out here from newly legalized states in the Midwest, which is a good target area after NE. We also have a WALL of Red states starting from North Dakota all the way down to Texas, though, kudos to ND and the voters for medical this year, good work. I am cutting it off here, too long for this post, but I will be back later, there is, of course, MUCH more to be said, and congrats, we have made some MAJOR victories this year, but the fight now, obviously is far more dire ahead than ever, we have a huge challenge ahead of us, and now, with more states we need to bring onboard, it is time to go for the killshot, game, set, match. So that freedom and liberty wins, and prohibition becomes a thing of the past, bong water of history, or something lol. Let’s fight on, and make PROGRESS in America great again! And a reality.
“also, one guy I am happy is NOT AG? Bill Bennett, former DEA.”
Amen to that! But he was Drug Czar (Office of National Drug Control Policy, or something like that), not DEA.
Marijuana decriminalization/ legalization is not just about being able to get high. It is about personal freedom and liberty. It is about our legislators hearing what the people want. If we as Americans continue like this, nothing will get done without referendums. And if we continue, our ballots will be ten pages long with referendums every month or so. Just my opinion.
They can’t stop us from a legal standpoint, think about it for a minute and calm down.
They CAN stop the commercial cultivation and dispensary sales.
What they can’t stop is people growing their own for personal use, possession, or sharing. We lowered penalties for sales and cultivation in legal states as well.
The feds can’t rewrite our laws.
So their enforcement is moot. It will lead to no tax dollars for the states, and a vast gray area and black market like we’ve never seen before.
So I say let them go away and try whatever it is they want to do. It will bite themselves in the foot if anything…
Again, NORML, reckless he MIGHT be or might not be, he takes a huge risk by going on an all-out assault on legalization, especially in his first term as AG…..and Trump’s first four years….the election of 2020 is what really worries me, with the GOP possibly gaining even more control. I totally agree with this article and the concern, let us hope he is not the worst of what could have been the worst or might be….but that is scary, him blocking the implementation, as I said, it would be easier if California and other places had had legalization in place by now, retail, etc for several years, it would be considerably harder for Sessions to do anything immediately about it, that is, having an immediate huge impact. Yeah, looking over the article again, now I do see the dire concern, this movement is fragile, and we must fight. This is bad, but let’s hope the Feds wake up and realize it will be more difficult than they realize. M
Can I just give you 4.2K?
And to make matters worse, according to the Washington Post there is very little Democrats in the Senate can do to stop the nomination of this racist prohibitionist:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/11/18/president-trumps-cabinet-picks-are-likely-to-be-easily-confirmed-thats-because-of-senate-democrats/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_pp-confirmations-540pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
Democrats were so sick of obstructionist Republicans slowing down President Obama’s nomination, that in 2013 Harry Reid dropped the 60 vote majority to only a 51 Senate majority to confirm executive positions. Without at least three Republican Senators defecting, which isnt likely, the only thing a confirmation hearing will do is reveal how racist and fascist Senator Sessions really is… If Americans pull their heads out of the Britebart @$$hole of fake news and read from real investigative journalism.But Im becoming convinced that’s not going to happen either. Fake news is a social disease that not even marijuana can cure if people choose to be infected.
Politico reports that Senators opposed to Trump are gravitating towards Sessions.
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/jeff-sessions-attorney-general-confirmation-231602
Unless Graham has a stroke of morality, Senator Flake flakes out and perhaps if we could sue Senator Sessions to recuse himself from the nomination process because he IS also a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, there is nothing we can do to stop Sessions from using the CSAct to “Trump” state legalization and taking it to Federal court. Oh, and Senator Feinstein, a Democrat on the Judiciary, hasnt exactly been legalization’s best friend either.
We have to take this battle to the Supreme COurt before a nomination can be made. Donate to NORML so we can afford the legal fees!
Correction: That was an impulsive, amateur statement to take things to the Supreme Court before a nomination. Sessions will make sure of that anyway. The Supreme Court will take up cases at Chief Justice Roberts discretion, with Justice Kennedy as our swing vote, which could save us from a federal take over in marijuana policy, unless Trump gets another racist in power. Thank God Reid didn’t use the nuclear option and give up the 60 vote majority for SCOTUS nominations. Democrats will have to block a justice all the way through 2018 midterm elections. And we as concerned activists and citizens will have to pierce the fake news propaganda to educate our brothers and sisters on just how important midterm Congressional elections have now become. I suspect that after two years of Trump creating a trade war with China and cracking down on dispensaries we should easily take back the Senate. The last threat to face is that Senate Republicans might try and expand the number of Justices on the Supreme Court. Of course, Senate Dems could still filabuster another nominee.
But since Trump’s CIA and NSA nominees attacked Feinstein and helped defend the illegal hack of her government server, maybe we can persuade her to join us on rejecting Sessions’ nomination?
I’m more convinced than ever that organized crime within the DOJ has succeeded in an illegal coup of our Democracy.
The hardest part of our journey into legalization will be convincing powerful criminal minds they have the imagination to live happier, good quality lives without the profit of prohibition.
Trump and the Republicans will make a lot of noise about cannabis. They will do nothing.
They need the votes. Link with analysis (numbers):
Marijuana Election Results
When Trump began his campaign with “Mexicans are sending us their rapists,” he was all about reviving the Ghost of Harry Anslinger who used racism and propaganda to make marijuana illegal in the first place. Racism is always about the acquisition of other people’s property. Marijuana prohibition offered this through asset forfeitures, by unconstitutionally allowing the executive branch to write out drug policies through the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.
As long as there are Americans listening to racist fake media and young people watching what they want to see on facebook whose profit model is to provide fake news if you so desire this madness will continue.
Now is the time to DONATE to non for profits for civil rights such as NORML. Subscribe to real investigative reporting like the Washington Post, the New York Times and The Guardian. Our government is not fake. Dispensaries are going to get raided in a matter of months.
The one silver lining is that it still takes a 60 vote majority to nominate a Supreme Court Justice. Well, that and California will help foot some of our court fees. WHEN Sessions takes state legalization to court, filabustering the Supreme Court nominee may be the one card we have left to play against this hostile fascist coup. And we should. All the way to voting in a Democratic Congress in 2018 after Trump either starts WWIII or shuts the world economy down in a trade war with China, or both.
But even if we did stop a Supreme Court nomination all the way to 2020, a split Supreme Court could return their decision over a federal crackdown of state legalization to a federal court, that will almost certainly favor federal law over state law… unless Kennedy defers to legalization and Ginsberg lives at least another 4 years.
We have a %60 majority of our population under state medical marijuana law. We are facing a Constitutional crisis. DONATE to NORML and the DPA as soon as possible!
So, do we as voters and tax paying citizens have any say in this ma going into office? or does this appointment simply overrule all??
please someone inform me how this works?
[Paul Armentano responds: He must be confirmed by a majority of the US SEnate. Contact your Senator and ask him/her to weigh in on this.]
Here’s a link you can use to contact your senators, and tell them to oppose the Sessions nomination:
http://stopthedrugwar.org/speakeasy/2016/nov/22/against_jeff_sessions_attorney_g#comment-266687
Might I remind you that you work for the PEOPLE and we will fight back. Marijuana is a plant and without the THC serves a lot of people’s health issues. Children and adults that SUFFER from seizures benefit greatly. People with cancer,pain and others. You must own stock in the pharmaceutical industry and are a dictator. STOP AND GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT!We don’t need your biased input that is based on prejudices and money from your LOBBYIST. Be more like Bernie Sanders, a servant for the PEOPLE.
Why NORML didn’t campaign against Trump’s election is beyond me. Everyone in Trump’s corner were all Marijuana prohibitionists. Christie stated that he would put an end to legal Marijuana in Colorado and Washington when he was running in the primaries, a few years ago Pence wanted to raise Marijuana possession offenses from misdemeanors to felonies in Indiana, now this clown, Jeff Sessions. The Trump administration will totally destroy all the good that the Marijuana movement has made in recent years and send our already screwed up country back to the days of Reefer Madness. Hate to say it but NORML really dropped the ball this time.
Paul might have some info for you, but look up the stance if any of NORML as an entity. I will not comment on here as I do not want to misrepresent. But just ask and someone might give an answer that is appropriate and official, one that would be inappropriate for me to offer.
You might have missed the previous posts, but NORML advocated openly for Hillary, pissing off a lot of Trump supporters in the process. However, I think they did the right thing, and now time is proving them right. So they didn’t drop the ball, you just probably didn’t see the post with the big picture of Hillary’s face on it??
DO people even LOOK for the custom search engine in the top right hand corner? What’s that thing DOING up there anyway? 😉
Well sure. NORML was correct to take sides and annoy Trump supporters who advocate for reform.
Better to be nice to them now though. They may be our only conduit into this administration.
Its called the Golden Rule. We pay forward our respect by treating others as we would have them do unto ourselves. We can always accomplish more by respecting others and therefore respect ourselves.
If after providing respect one realizes we are dealing with a Narcissist Personality Disorder, than we focus our votes on Congress and try and praise the maniac into legalization. Trump’s “supporters” will get what’s coming to them… by Trump’s own betrayal.
I am medical marijuana patient i am sick 24/7
Hey Libertarians! Is it Coalition for National Salvation Time yet? Any Ted Cruz-types with the courage of their convictions intact? 1% to 99% – all together now… against the fascists. Now!
Maybe Jeff has evolved and moved on away from some of his previous positions. The country is signaling that it has so there won’t be political damage if he moves forward with legalization at the federal level, meaning does not interfere with legalization.
Jeff is a highly intelligent opponent we would like to have on our side. I do not want to underestimate how much damage he could do to legalization. Some conservative Republicans are big into self-deportation because of a reduction in the need for illegal aliens (dog whistle for Mexicans) because of a sagging economy. The sagging economy is no longer the case, looking at the stock market and the Federal Reserve rate hike in December. Cannabis legalization will get that money that was flowing out of the country off of the (Mexican) cartels, and it puts the jobs here and employs US citizens, encouraging those made redundant to return to their native countries. Jeff, where are you getting all this money to shut things down? You ever thought about taking some of that cannabis revenue to finish figuring out the (southern) border situation?
There will be no civil war over cannabis legalization. Once people enjoy a freedom, they’re not giving it up.
He may have evolved though who knows, and with the GOP in total control? Yeah, might not even matter he might just change right back!
Sessions could try to slam on the brakes and throw it in reverse, for sure. It might play out like the story of The Scorpion and the Frog or like its other version The Scorpion and the Tortoise. I agree, Sessions has been a snake in the past, so the fable The Farmer and the Viper might be how the future unfolds.
The legalization grassroots movement (pun intended) has been gyroscopically slow and steady in advancing momentum. Get rid of Sessions in the vetting process if he is going to be a dick and get in the way of legalization!
Who would we the cannabis community have President-elect Trump appoint to the office of U.S. Attorney General? I value knowing Representative Dana Rohrabacher’s opinion on a number of candidates the cannabis legalization community would find acceptable for Don Donald to install. If not Sessions, you have to let Donald know who else. Don’t leave the guy clueless without any alternatives when you pooh-pooh his choices. Tell him what to do, get his kids onboard with legalization. Goody Two Shoes kids they’re not! They’re living the American Experience.
I think some more TV pro-legalization specials are called for–Fox News,History, Viceland, CNBC, MSNBC or even the Networks.
Ive been trying to figure out who would be the proverbial “scorpion” (Trump?) and who are the frogs (Americans who voted for Trump that need marijuana legalized?)
Sessions and Trump are both scorpions. They would sting themselves if they develop split personalities for all the lies they make themselves believe. This may be an advantage for us; just look at all the poison a Senate confirmation has to deal with:
1). Sessions was already deemed too racist to be a judge back in the 80’s.
2). Roll the tapes at the confirmation hearing; When the world saw video of Trump telling Billy Bush, ” I don’t even ask [women], I just walk right up to them and grab then in the pu$$y,” Sessions was quoted as saying, “I dont think that is sexual assault. Thats a stretch.” Ok, let the Senate walk right up to Sessions and shove their hand up his @$$; ask him if he thinks thats a stretch?
3). Sessions actually prosecuted black American citizens from Alabama for voting.
If thats not enough to block a confirmation for US AG in the Senate, then everyone who votes for him is a threat to our national security and is complicit in High treason and should be expelled or impeached immediately.
Trump has already stated he will deschedule marijuana. And leave it up to the states ,it will be out of sessions hands,quit it normal,I donated for years you never did shit to help!
Mary,
I respectfully request you tell us
1). where you get your “news” from?
2). In what way do you believe that Trump will “deschedule” marijuana by appointing the most prohibitionist senator in US history to Attorney General?
3). Do you understand that the only thing allowing state legalization to have proceeded thus far was a decision by the President to stop the DOJ (and AG) from prosecuting state legalization in a federal court?
Trump may be easily influenced, the people around him, Pence, Sessions, Christie, Giuliani, and probably others as well. Despite his comments and populism, he might sweep all that aside in favor of the misguided law and order approach, racist views of others, (Anslinger-like, and is Sessions Anslinger policy round II?) and somehow thinking that legalization is BAD for a GREAT, STRONG America. Who knows. All I know is…..and I am sorry…..it does not look good at all for the future of legalization. Coming months…..not at ALL.
You can pick and choose from the array of contradictory bullshit that comes out of Trump’s mouth — but I wouldn’t want to bet my personal freedom on any of it.
So you’re saying, the AG will want to hurt us, but will be powerless to hurt us, because Trump will protect us from his own pick for AG? I find that highly improbable. I think Trump has played you for a sucker, that’s what I think. He lied to you, and you bought it.
In any case, we’re gonna find out, aren’t we?
Sorry, Mary,
Trump NEVER EVER said anything even remotely
close to that…!
Sounds like you’re getting him confused with
Bernie Sanders, who clearly DID make cannabis
de-scheduling a major talking point of his own
campaign, AND has actually introduced BILLS,
(de-scheduling legislation), in the U.S. Senate, unlike Trump,
who merely entertains vague notions of
“letting the states decide”,
while SIMULTANEOUSLY installing worst-case,
weed-hating, Reagan Era “anti-drug” stalwarts
that could set the cause of cannabis re-legalization back 60-80 years!
SMH!~~~
Arresting your way out of cannabis legalization didn’t work before, and it definitely 100% isn’t going to work now. Just give it up and legalize!
Barry, before you leave office, I would like you to do something to move cannabis legalization along to the point where Trump and his sort can NOT reverse it. They must recognize legalization is beyond the Point of Know Return, and there’s no turning back.
It’s Rocky Mountain Way.
Come on, Barry! Please!
Too bad you can’t make that plea to The Donald. Dems are obviously held to a different standard.
“The creating of knowledge…”? No one is entitled to fabricate lies and call it ‘knowledge’. The proper term is ‘lies’.
Damn straight!
For someone who goes by six question marks, I think you’re seeing things very clearly!
Hey Ben, Trey Gowdy from South Carolina, your as nuts as Sessions, Gowdy voted against Veteran’s getting to be able to talk with V.A, Doc’s about Medical Marijuana.
I have to believe that Trump will pull Sessions off this issue and at a minimum allow states to decide. Trump will see the economic benefits too and eventually legalize it. We elected him because he listened to the people and promised to be our voice. I have to keep faith he will honor the people’s will with this.
You’ve been suckered, sucker. Trump just can’t stop lying to people and fucking them over. How could you have possibly missed that? Do you really hate Mexicans, Muslims, blacks, women, and the disabled SOOOO MUCH that you had to vote for Trump, a known and proven liar, and a cracker-ass bigot? How can you use the word “honor” in the same sentence as that man’s phony name? (Yes, even his name is a lie. His real name is Drumph, or some shit.)
Never mind, it’s too late now, you really fucked up bad.
Ok all the folks who did not vote Democrat, or voted for the village idiot Johnson, now we get to see what can and cannot be undone in relation to Cannabis law. Yeah I get it Obama and the Dems did not get it off of schedule 1, but at least, for the most part they did not interfere with states rights. By all means lets not give up the fight, contribute funds, write your reps in DC etc. but get ready cause a hard rain is gonna fall, and unfortunately it will not affect just this issue.
Yeah you’re an idiot. You shouldn’t vote if you’re this uninformed about Clinton.
She promised Wall Street bankers LAST YEAR she won’t legalize pot if she’s elected. She even said in Wikileaks how she has a private and a public position on everything. You have been suckered by the media. Ever wonder why every media outlet, newspaper, news website, and celebrity was advocating for her? Do you really not see the echo chamber mentality in our culture for democrats? This is being pushed by the billionaires who OWN the media! DEMOCRATS ARE THE ESTABLISHMENT NOW.
You were conned, and it’s pathetic you’re not smart enough to see it.
Then how do you explain the scope of this blog; the betrayal of Trump by nominating Sessions?
ANY drug that changes how you feel from caffeine to Benadryl is a “drug that might lead” to use of other drugs. Education helped me know what drugs you just don’t touch decades ago.
Mj and mmj shouldn’t even be on the radar. Be very scared of sessions. Be very scared of sessions if you’re not white and southern baptist. He, like our president elect, is capable of doing almost anything to anybody based on their opinion regardless of facts.
At least Trump has his children to tell him mj ain’t that bad. Sessions has no one but LE, big pharma, and his personal demons guiding his decisions.
Good people don’t become politicians either! So, what’s his point?
That kind of backwards thinking is what got us stuck with Drumph as our President and Sessions as our AG instead of Loretta Lynch respecting states rights. The ol’ false equivalency that Hillary was just as bad as Drumph… Easy bull$#!+ to believe for someone who is really just too damn lazy to take five minutes from facebook to research our candidates.
My only hope here is that he is a major proponent for states rights, hopefully he takes that stance here.
HA! That’s what the Republican party always said they were about… State’s rights. When it’s convenient that is. Look at what a Republican Congress has done to the will of more than %70 of the voters in our nation’s capitol who legalized marijuana? Not a single commercial dispensary opened because the Republican Congress decided to trample on the votes of American citizens. Don’t expect anything less than raids and dispensary shut downs pushing sick patients out of wheel chairs from this guy.
This guy must be the heaviest pot user on Earth, since he’s clearly not a “good” person. We can be exactly as sure of his Marijuana use because he’s not a good/compassionate person as we can about marinuana users going towards heavier drugs lmao how much money is it going to cost to go backwards?
To stop this nonsense we need to work with marijuana reform-friendly Republicans in the Senate… meaning write and call them or even VISIT them RIGHT NOW… at LEAST three reasonable Republicans in the Senate. Two possibilities to ally with us on marijuana policy and stop the drug war expansion in the executive and the judiciary are libertarians, who lean towards keeping government from intruding in our lives, such as Senator Jeff Flake and Senator Rand Paul, leaving one more to break the tie:
Looking at NORML’s Congressional Senate Scorecard,
http://norml.org/congressional-scorecard/us-senators
PLEASE WRITE YOUR SENATOR IF YOU SEE YOUR FEDERAL SENATOR ON THIS LIST AND ASK THEM TO BLOCK THE NOMINATION OF SESSIONS:
…Our best hopes rest in lobbying these Senators:
Lisa Murkowski (R)Alaska “B”
Corey Gardner (R)Colorado “B+”
Bill Cassidy (R)Lousiana “B+”
Susan Collins (R)Maine “B-”
Roy Blunt (R)Missouri “B”
Steve Daines (R)Montana “B+”
Dean Heller (R)Nevada “B”
Tom Thillis (R)N.Crlina “C”
Lamar Alexander(R)Tennessee”C”
Shelly M.Capito(R)W.Vrginia”C”
A few Republican or Independent Senate wildcard maybes are
David Perdue, (R)GA (B-)
Angus King, (I)Maine(C)
Lindsay Graham(R)S.C. (B-)
Mike lee (R)Utah (C)
Orin Hatch (R)Utah (C)
Ron Johnson (R)Wisc.(C)
And remember, we need more than 3 Republican Senators to work with because there are Democratic Senators with “F” grades, even in states that might legalize legislatively like Delaware, their federal Congressman Tom Carper is no help to us. Also Sen. Joe Donelly, D-IN (D) needs to be compensated by a friendly Republican Senator.
Now get on a link here on this website and TAKE ACTION! The fate of marijuana legalization and our entire Democracy is at stake. No pressure.
Here is a quick and easy link you can use to contact your senators, and tell them to oppose the Sessions nomination:
http://stopthedrugwar.org/speakeasy/2016/nov/22/against_jeff_sessions_attorney_g#comment-266687
Thanks Mark. I try not to post links up for competitive donations but in this battle the DPA snd NORML need to cooperate all we can!
and last comment for now, remember the racism in which Prohibition is rooted. Anslinger round II? In addition, ironic…I think next year may be the 80th anniversary of marijuana prohibition. Also, 2037 is coming up, 100th….who knows where we will be…by then. Let us hope we are not still stuck on square ONE. But if they eliminate legalization and then block voters of every state from ever getting cannabis on the ballot again…..decades, next century…let us hope not, and let us keep fighting…we have to stand strong in the face of this terrible coming nightmare.
Couldnt the states that have legalized already just decriminalize it then, say we wont enforce prohibition? If they dont want all those tax dollars then fuck the federal government
I suffer from chronic pain . that’s right that’s right pain 24 7. But then there is Breakout pain. Only my edibles work so that I can eat sleep. I’m going to make my stand. I’ll take a bullet for it. You understand what I’m saying.
Neocons and establishment Republicans can and will infiltrate Trump’s administration. Luckily, it only takes two words from Trump to get them out. YOU’RE FIRED! And he will say that a lot. So my prediction is that Sessions doesn’t last long if he tries to go after cannabis.
That’s delusional.
I knew this sob would turn.
Yeah, Because you are an expert on marijuana. …SMH. Go back to college and take science again you Racist Grand Wizard. Medical discoveries have been made that are beyond you, your political agenda, and the people that you serve. Mr. Sessions who made you a judeg over man to say they are not good because they smoke marijuana
Why am I not surprised?
Unbunch your panties. Surely, Republicans know that a prohibitionist stance WILL result in push back and the loss of Senate and House seats in 2 short years and the Presidency in 4. The marijuana issue is more than a marijuana issue, it is a freedom and states’ rights issue. Sessions if approved will be held in check, they can’t be that stupid, could they?
I don’t know, you strike a hard bargain…
Idiocracy:This is what happens when stupid people vote for republicans and the rest of you don’t vote.
Many of you are about to learn the only day to stop tyranny is election day.
Dumbass morons.
Please sign the petition at change.org calling on the Electors to ignore their states’ votes and cast their ballots for Secretary Clinton. The petition already has over 4 million signatures. At least it shows how many people reject the trump administration. I too was not happy with Obama’s reluctance to end prohibition. I voted for Hillary with the resolution that I get active to help preserve democracy and work for progressive causes. I feared Trump would win. Now the most progressive cause is the fight for our freedom which is hanging in the balance.
Ending the electoral college requires a Constitutional amendment. Our Republican Congress will not do that. Our government has currently been hijacked by fake media, limited polling stations in Democratic locations primarily in minority districts and a laziness among too many Americans to do their homework and research. In the meantime donate to NORML so we can be prepared for the challenge.
URGENT! California residents Rohrabacher-Farr is up for renewal next month (bipartisan provision in a congressional spending bill that prevents federal prosecutors from spending any money to target state-compliant medical cannabis businesses, and safeguards medical marijuana legalization from federal interference). I contacted Senator Barbara Boxer and my congressman and urged them to renew/expand Rohrabacher–Farr to include protections for states that allow adult use. I also mentioned that I am a registered voter. To contact your state representatives go to: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
Mr. Altieri says:
>>>”Sessions could immediately get to work attempting to block the implementation of the recent ballot initiatives,”
It would be helpful to understand the exact nature of the threat. – I see how the feds could put dispensaries and large growers out of business, but since eight states and D.C. have now re-legalized marijuana, consumers in those states will continue to be free from arrest, right? Is it true the feds cannot compel state and other local law enforcement to enforce federal laws?
So it seems the worst we are looking at is everyone on the D.C. model, where sales aren’t allowed, but possessing, consuming, growing, giving away small amounts, etc. are legal.
Is this a correct summation?
Monkeys out of the box, man. Ive never enjoyed cannabis legaly. Not about to start now.
However much Sessions might like to take us back to early 20th century, the genie’s out of the bottle. With half the states allowing for medical and nearly 20% now legal for recreational there will be no going back. Too many people invested, individual business owners, employees, state agencies, peripheral industries. Ironic how this party professes to be all about liberty and personal freedom, but when it comes to this one thing they turn into Puritans. Barf on all of them.
Mr. Altieri says:
>>>”Sessions could immediately get to work attempting to block the implementation of the recent ballot initiatives,”
It would be helpful to understand the exact nature of the threat. – I see how the feds could put dispensaries and large growers out of business.
But since eight states and D.C. have now re-legalized marijuana, consumers in those states will continue to be free from arrest, right? Is it true the feds cannot compel state and other local law enforcement to enforce federal laws?
So it seems the worst we are looking at is everyone on the D.C. model, where sales aren’t allowed, but possessing, consuming, growing, giving away small amounts, etc. are legal.
Is this a correct summation?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/debraborchardt/2016/11/18/jeff-sessions-as-attorney-general-makes-marijuana-industry-very-nervous/#5733f91b5048
https://thefreshtoast.com/highway/jeff-sessions-as-attorney-general-what-that-means-for-marijuana/
The breakdown is that Federal law “Trumps” state law. All Sessions has to do is take state legalization to federal court, and every state effort begins to get prosecuted in an historically costic and wasteful tantrum of oligarchy that our nation has now become. The Controlled Substances Act, unless Congress interferes with new legislation or the Senate blocks Sessions’ nomination, and about 120 other fascist prohibitionist Federal judges Trump nominates than there is nothing left to stop this injustice until 2018 elections. This $#!+ is real, unlike the fake news that brought these domestic terrorists to power.
Please Take Action and contact your Senator to block the nomination of Sessions.
That didn’t really answer my question about the D.C. model being the worst case scenario, but thanks.
Meaning Republicans in control of all three branches if our government is worse than just the Sessions scenario; even state policies could be challenged individually in a federal court system with more judges appointed by Trump.
Unless 37 electorates switch their votes, which is warranted yet unlikely, then yes, 4 years of Trump-Sessions could slowly dismantle legalization initiatives state by state.
Well, you can thank the 43% who didn’t vote. Some people are as dumb as a garbage tank to let it up to everyone else. Mostly backwoods slack-jawed regards voted who are poor and actually think Trump will help them. They’re evil. But even worse was the 43% who did nothing. Evil people play their “role” WAY better than “good” people who do nothing about horrendous acts. Not like it makes any difference to me! I have no weed connections or money to buy it. I almost feel that because I can’t smoke, no one else should either! I know that’s wrong and not what I want but at least it will be equal. If I we’re in charge weed would be legal for any use. As with mushrooms, acid and mescaline if you have an anti-psychotic drug in case of a bad trip. All other drugs would be legal for scientific use. But, I’m not in charge. Its partly Hillary’s fault because she was not a good candidate. First woman president? A grandma! We need to stick to men for now. Maybe after all the horrible things Trump will do, 100% will come to vote. Voting should be mandatory. Thanks a lot 43% fuckheads. Goddamn you to Hell.
As I see it, the medical and recreational cannabis programs were approved by the voting public, thereby, any political figure that would try to derail these is willingly trying to subvert the will of the people. These individuals shouldn’t be allowed to LIVE IN the United States let alone represent the government in any capacity.
Trump set a new record. Half of the nation hates him. It took Nixon several years to be this unpopular.
I would hope that President-Elect Trump would prevent such a drastic change. It is like telling Americans your vote does not mean a thing. Sessions represents the worst perception of the war on drugs and I think he would be challenged to to go against so much research that proves pot is not harmful in a way that warrants making it illegal.
More than 10,000 people write in that Gorilla that got shot in the Cincinnate Zoo for our US President and a few million votes for Hillary in California alone were overriden by the electoral college. And yet our votes do matter.
Good job Trump supporters. You want your blue collard and manufacturing jobs so you can make pennies per hour like the Chinese. Now, we are going to be stripped of our freedoms. Great job… To all the people blasting Obama, you have to be an idiot not to see how much Obama let legalization grow and become possible. Now, Canada is more likely to legalize while we have to fight here in the states to protect the freedoms we have now.
I would be surprised if this comment passes but I am who I am and always been.
Trump marks a change just like Reagan did. Performance and acting is used to circumvent realism with fiction. To implant the status quo or worse with preaching and action(see nancy reagan). If it were not for marijuana the DEA could not survive. So like a Fish out of water with magic powers it has created a Fish tank encompassing all that he can. I am drunk right now and not ashamed because that is legal in NC. So I may be rambling but my worries are real. I have been waiting 40 years for the bs surrounding Cannabis to end but now with this election I may be dead before this happens. I hope you all rot in hell who voted for this Pos named Trump.
When the hangover wears off, this is even worse than Reagan. So please call your Federal Senator, whether Democrat. Republican or Independent and help block the nomination of Sessions. Yes, you may drink moderately while calling your Senator just keep a script and please be polite! 🙂
Wow!
I never thought I’d see a real life rendition of the Beatles animated “Yellow Submarine” movie; but hear we have a full invasion of the blue meanies to impose their belief system and crush individuality and Sessions is the all powerful GLOVE.
“Belief system”? Of what? Keeping fascist prohibitionists from being nominated as US AG so he can terrorize the self-medicating community of cannabis consumers with Federal courts to overrule state legalization we have achieved?
And if we’re the “glove” what exactly does that make you?
Here’s an idea; go smoke a bowl, call your Senator, quit whining and stop Sessions nomination if you love legal weed.
I am a medical smoker. I am a recreational smoker. I am a recovering addict and I have to stop smoking so I can get a job. I have to take pain killers now that I have to have handed out to me by my wife because I can’t trust myself, I don’t want to do the shameful things of my past again all because of my lack of control over a drug that the doctor I go see would rather I be able to smoke marijuana before taking the pain pills in a state (WI) that accepts my out of state (OR) medical cannabis endorsement yet does not allow or have any program of their own. My suggestion is that the Green Supporters of America unite. It is clearly visible that we are many in number. We vary in position from the mail room to the board room. If we all put in our notice to the HR department for April 20th to have off the country would not stop but shit would be hectic and the non smokers will sure appreciate us more. My point is that I am sick of the bullshit we need to stand up and say enough is enough, mind your business DEA go focus on the heroin and pill heads shit that actually kills people. Legalization of marijuana and taxation will be the first step in reducing the national debt, come on Pres. Obama Pres. Lincoln didn’t get the best review at first when he passed the Emancipation proclamation. Don’t let Donald duck step in and legalize it because he has no other option and take the credit for the billions in revenue! In either case I will be asking everyone I know to ask for 4/20 off and do it right now, before your co-workers get the free spots off and have to fight for it. I want 4/20 declared a national holiday just because all of the soldiers who have fought in the war on drugs need to be recognized for their efforts in getting marijuana removed from the listing as a harmful drug!
What kind of Rohrabacher–Farr legislation can advance legalization before the installment and confirmation of any U.S. Attorney General? The law(s) will have to de-claw any AG. De-fund the feds further, yeah that could get expanded and renewed. Get the IRS out of the fray. You have to up and tell the United Nations exactly to up and remove and retract any past language and get their global ass obstacles out of the way and let countries decide for themselves. They can remain prohibitionist if they really need to declare war on their own people that dastardly much. Horrible country to live in as it would be. Oh Canada! Denver legalized the way for bring your own bud coffeeshops, a variation on the Amsterdam-style shop where you can both buy and consume it on the premises: weed, hash, space cake and other infused edibles. Plus, they sell coffee, cold soft drinks and various non-infused munchies.
Check it out.
http://www.coffeeshopdirect.com/Map.html
http://www.coffeeshopmenus.org/Rock-It/Menus/Rock-It04252016Jeremy.jpg
This is bad news!!
Relax folks, science has always taken a little longer to get into the deep South. I wonder what he thinks about evolution. Like it or not, the populations of the majority of states is a majority of the population of the country and if the Fed maintains a militant anti-medical stance, the backlash will make for very interesting 2017 and 2018 elections.
I’ll bet a big plate of shrimp and grits that he flip-flops and embraces the majority of his country.
He will, but will Sessions?
Well if he doesn’t send Sessions to prosecute NORML Board Advisor Bill Maher for claiming Drumph’s mother fu€ked an orangutang we can assume Drumph doesn’t believe we evolved from apes. But we are apes, vulnerable to all the fear, anger and political branding circles that impede the clinical judgement cannabis provided our ancestors during our coevolution. The elections proved that.
One thought Ive been entertaining is allowing Trump to “brand” and put his name on legalization… blocking a Sessions nomination with a massive grassroots campaign through the Senate, of course.
Let Trump get the credit… And a key into the dispensary business for the profit. All his evil ties to organized crime are in a disposition with his protection from the Secret Service. And with all the scandal this nut will bring to the oval office throwing prostitutes at the Secret Service like the DEA did in Cartagena won’t even make the headlines anymore. Trump is going to find it more challenging than he thinks to run his little empire of bullies from within the confines of the White House. The real danger is will he crumble under the weight of leadership and let his bullies run him?
Even if he took the bait and legalized would a Republican controlled Congress dare defy an executive order from Trump and send it to a Republican dominated Supreme Court?
I think the answer is yes, they would. So lets focus on Congress our state legislatures and peer reviewed science. Its going to be a long 4 years.
Well, now, that wasn’t very nice, Skippy.
Because, after all, it was because of you Northern Democrats moving down south and inventing slavery that caused such a wonderful war?!
Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
And here’s another clue for you all.
2016 Democratic Platform
Because of conflicting laws concerning marijuana, both on the federal and state levels, we encourage the federal government to remove marijuana from its list as a Class 1 Federal Controlled Substance, providing a reasoned pathway for future legalization
AND
2016 Republican Platform
The progress made over the last three decades against drug abuse is eroding, whether for cultural reasons or for lack of national leadership. In many jurisdictions, marijuana is virtually legalized despite its illegality under federal law. All this highlights the continuing conflicts and contradictions in public attitudes and public policy toward illegal substances. Congress and a new administration should consider the long-range implications of these trends for public health and safety and prepare to deal with the problematic consequences.
What part of that did you not understand.
It is very telling about Sessions that he gives more credence to Lady Gaga than he does to the Surgeon General and countless medical professionals. I think it is totally pathetic that Trump would even consider this ignorant racist for any position within his administration.
My only hope for the Trump administration is that he truly believes he is putting the best people in positions to accomplish his agenda and that his agenda is truly best for the American people. If it is his intention to thwart the clear will of the people then I hope him and the rest of his cabinet fail miserably and get promptly replaced ASAP.
I don’t want Jeff Sessions to become Attorney General and I’m sure that a lot of people here feel the same way. That is why I say we contact our Congressional Representative: http://www.house.gov/representatives/ and Senators: http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/ and let them know we don’t want Sessions as Attorney General. Let’s tell Trump as well: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump
Sessions watched too many episodes of dragnet where Joe Friday would issue his speech on his view of morality. For weed to be on the schedule 1 alongside heroin is absurd and based on science from the 1960s
The state attorneys general or other bodies (normal) need to file lawsuits against the US government and DEA on the basis of cannabis being on the schedule 1 for the sole purpose of getting money directed to the DEA and in the process ruining countless good tax paying educated people’s lives.
The lie of cannabis on the schedule 1 is beyond simply egregious. DEA is never going to alter that on its own accord. Jeffrey Beauregard Sessions III will be the pip squeak fox in the hen house with countless Joe Friday rants about how he is protecting American lives by shutting down pot.
America is a democratic republic meaning states allocate their power to Washington DC not DC deciding what states can and can not do.
Again the 10th amendment part of the bill of rights states the very same….states in this republic by design are not servants to the federal government but instead the federal government are subservient to the States
You’ll only harm yourselves in an illogical approach to this problem.
The solution is to focus on the importance of state’s rights… make it an issue about that we should govern ourselves and let states legalize it freely without federal involvement.
Acting like angry children calling everyone sexist and racist for not wanting legal cannabis will only set back the marijuana legalization movement. The conservatives will not react well to baseless insults.
We can either do this the right, respectful way and possibly continue to see progress or do it the very wrong way and see an angry backlash.
I agree entirely that the “solution” is on ” state’s rights,” but as far as calling “angry children” the terms “sexist and racist”? Check yourself so you can correct yourself.
Democracy is the art of participation. Please click on the “Legalization” tab in the upper right hand corner and decide what you can do for your society.
I’d like to know, first, is there an address for President-Elect Trump where I/we can write to him and BEG him NOT to appoint this moron?
Secondly, are other organizations, specifically an organization by the name of LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) joining efforts with NORML to stop his appointment?
Thanks!!
these bible-thumping reppies will try to reverse;
mj / mmj legalization,
abortion rights,
and LGBT rights.
ALL THREE groups should work together,
under the idea;
“IT IS MY LIFE, IT IS MY BODY, AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO RIGHT TO INTERFERE WITH IT”.
and “NO VICTIM, MEANS NO CRIME”.
Hey alert to those in Washington state and elsewhere. Tri cities are looking to start enforcing their bans on people in those towns. Hope people are organized to protest this stuff. This violates state law and can’t or shouldn’t be enforced since legalization was state wide.
“WTF!!!” Its as if there is no voice for other people that live in states that will not even consider legalization. I live in Iowa. There is no voice for recreational marijuana. Recreational use creates a healthier life too. But the stigma still exist so back in the closet we go. I wish norml was a vocal advocate for the legalization or at least the decriminalization of marijuana.
Start a NORML chapter. Campaign to vote Grassley out of the Senate or at least the Judiciary Committee. Lead and support will follow.
This is yet another way for someone to take our freedom and to impose their own views on the people