Lawmakers and Cannabis Industry Stakeholders React to Federal Policy Change
Cannabis Stocks in US & Canada Rocked by Sessions Policy Change
Industry insiders, state officials in recreational cannabis markets vow to stay the course
Title: U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions Revokes Cole Memo, Ending Hands-Off Policy on Legal Marijuana
Author: Merry Jane
Date: 4 January 2018
Extract: United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions has revoked the Cole Memo, effectively ending a federal policy of non-interference in states which have legalized adult-use cannabis.
An initial report from the Associated Press this morning broke the news with two anyonymous sources leaking the decision, claiming that Sessions will now “let federal prosecutors where pot is legal decide how aggressively to enforce federal marijuana law.”
Sessions has since issued a memo confirming the change, adding in a statement: “It is the mission of the Department of Justice to enforce the laws of the United States, and the previous issuance of guidance undermines the rule of law and the ability of our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners to carry out this mission. Therefore, today’s memo on federal marijuana enforcement simply directs all U.S. Attorneys to use previously established prosecutorial principles that provide them all the necessary tools to disrupt criminal organizations, tackle the growing drug crisis, and thwart violent crime across our country.”
