By Monterey Bud

 

As medical marijuana patients wring their hands over Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ misguided attack on medical marijuana, there remains at least one reason to feel optimistic as we head into the weekend.

According to The Hill, “The Senate Appropriations Committee approved an amendment to a budget bill on Thursday to protect medical marijuana programs from federal interference in states that have legalized the drug for medical use.”

In essence, denying the Department of Justice (DOJ) access to the critical funding needed to crack down on state-sanctioned medical marijuana operations.

The amendment included in the 2018 Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill was passed by the Appropriations Committee with a simple voice vote on Thursday.

Leaders in the House and Senate ultimately ignored a letter sent by AG Sessions which pleaded with elected officials “not to block DOJ from using funds to enforce federal marijuana laws.”

Authored by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), the Vermont Democrat reasoned that the DOJ should be concentrating its finite resources on more pressing issues. “The federal government can’t investigate everything and shouldn’t, and I don’t want them pursuing medical marijuana patients who are following state law.”

Sessions, in a letter first obtained by Tom Angell, strongly disagreed with Sen. Leahy: “I believe it would be unwise for Congress to restrict the discretion of the Department to fund particular prosecutions, particularly in the midst of an historic drug epidemic and potentially long-term uptick in violent crime.”

A fan of states’ rights when it’s convenient, Sessions has been pressuring Congress to back off the Leahy amendment. Tone-deaf to his ludicrous request, it would appear some of our elected officials are more interested in representing their constituents than defending the indefensible.