AP reports via the Colorado Sun–after almost two years of uncertainty over what the Trump administration might do about legalized marijuana in Colorado and elsewhere, featuring disturbing threats against the industry from Attorney General Jeff Sessions and repeated reassurances by GOP Sen. Cory Gardner that such threats shouldn’t be taken seriously, real signs are emerging just weeks before the midterm elections that Trump and Sessions may crack down on legal weed after all:
Colorado’s system for regulating marijuana has too many loopholes that disguise illegal activity and jeopardize public safety, a federal prosecutor said Wednesday, detailing his motivation for boosting scrutiny in the first state to broadly allow cannabis sales.
U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer said he is particularly concerned with how companies that grow marijuana account for damaged product and the state’s system allowing people to grow a certain number of plants at home for medical use. He said both situations create an opportunity for marijuana to be sold on the black market and require federal prosecutors to take a closer look at Colorado’s regulated marijuana industry.
“If somebody is licensed by this state, should they feel at increased risk of federal prosecution now?” Troyer said in an interview with The Associated Press. “Yes. They should. We do a public safety analysis, not an analysis of whether someone has a piece of paper from the state.” [Pols emphasis]
In 180-degree contrast to Gardner’s assurances, supposedly after talking to the President himself about the situation, that Colorado’s marijuana industry was not in danger of federal prosecution, this flat-out statement from U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer that marijuana businesses in compliance with state law are at “increased risk of federal prosecution” is deeply chilling–and not in the pleasant sense that follows a nice indica bong hit.
So what happens next? The industry isn’t reacting with public alarm, at least not yet. Cory Gardner has been silent so far on Troyer’s comments, with the high drama over Brett Kavanaugh’s embattled Supreme Court nomination hogging the spotlight. If the federal government’s interest here is merely to prevent black market diversion and not shut down the legal marijuana industry entirely, that would be one thing. But who can say that with confidence knowing how Jeff Sessions feels about the devil weed?
As it stands now, everyone from individual tokers to investors with millions committed to this business should be worried–and Gardner’s assurances are looking awfully hollow.
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One of the few bits of good news is the likely departure of AG Sessions and a relatively long hiatus before there is an AG confirmed by the Senate. I'm thinking the 93 district USAs won't take steps toward a crackdown until they see what the new person has to say.
This oughta’ smoke our little troll out of his hole.
You mean it will get MoldyRapist to stop thinking about what group to hate on today and talk about how terrible the Devil Weed is?
https://www.westword.com/marijuana/us-district-attorney-bob-troyer-explains-op-ed-attacking-colorados-legal-marijuana-10858951
Traffic deaths up by 150%. Marijuana grow chemicals in the water. It's out of hand.
Yet, you're totally fine with people dying in mass shootings.
Moderatus — what are the raw numbers of "traffic deaths" being talked about?
I didn't chase down the source, but the westword article you cite helpfully points out the statistic being based on "finding thc" in the blood — nothing about whether it was an active intoxicant or a passive remnant from some other occasion up to a month ago. I'm also betting:
Thoughts and prayers to the families of the folks who died in car wrecks. When you think about it, there's really nothing else to be done.
Well, maybe a moment of silence at an nfl ga me.
Those chemicals are not showing up in my beer, are they?
Our little troll only likes angry, right-wing white men who drink beer.
I hope so! Traffic deaths in Colorado are way up, kids are vaping in class, and black market marijuana from Colorado is flooding the rest of the country. Marijuana legalization is a failure and the feds should crack down to protect public health and safety!
You say you worry about traffic deaths, but you're totally okay with people dying in mass shootings.
He also looks the other way when it comes to drunk driving after high school “Ski Parties.”
BTW, how many DUI arrests did Walker Stapleton have?
Or drunk sexual assault. Or death threats directed at the victim of sexual assault.
Traffic deaths in Colorado ARE "way up" … but they track pretty closely with vehicle miles traveled. See https://www.codot.gov/library/traffic/safety-crash-data/fatal-crash-data-city-county/Colorado_Historical_Fatalities_Graphs.pdf
They need to get the financial aspect in order and allow bank lending for dope shops…. the feds are stupid for not allowing credit and FDIC insurance to lend to these people and the amount of cold hard cash that floats around is phenomenal, making it a target for crime and difficult for the state to track finances.
Be still my heart! Negev, you said something sensible!
Negev occasionally does. Which is why he is more interesting and challenging that those brain-dead shills, Moderatus and Carnegie.
Easily said, but exceedingly difficult to do. As our resident expert on the topic, Michael Bowman has indicated — it all starts with taking marijuana off Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.
Help us elect a Democratic majority in Congress, Negev, and we'll have a leg up on that!
I am unfortunately required to either defend my rights or support yours. That's an easy choice. Perhaps the impending tyranny will bridge the gap.
The impending attempt at tyranny, I would suggest. I do not believe the American people will succumb to the fascism of the Trumplican© party.
Some Americans will succumb, or rather, they already have. The Republican, pro-trump base includes:
– Christian Fundamentalists
– Racists
– Super wealthy business owners and Oligarchs.
Numerically, there aren't that many Oligarchs, but there are a lot of Christian Fundamentalists and Racist. The demographics of this is not spread evenly across the geography of the US.
Ah yes, a gerrymandered map. No wonder you like it so much! Still, it looks like a majority of population and a majority of GDP are colored blue.
Two key points that have nothing to do with elections. Daily Kos gerrymanders maps?
Nobody said I liked it. Which color looks more "evenly spread"?
There are an almost unlimited number of maps to choose from. To prove your point, you chose the one that shows the most red.
I did not make the point, you did. I just disputed it with graphic detail. Please feel free to prove your point with any image or support you see fit.
edit: Sorry, I confused you with Parkhills statement/point. Please note that upon rereading the posts, you made no point at all.
Here;s one with population density included.
Drumpf has the Electoral College, low-output America, a Senate Majority that represents 18% of the US population – and Nuttter. Just what our Founding Fathers envisioned, eh?
While Democrats insist they back the underrepresented minority and the poor…. funny how that works.
No…the under-represented MAJORITY.
This one won't be close enough to steal. Trump will try to keep people away from the polls with his new cellphone app.."TrumpAmerica..oe else." Permanently installed on your phone…the one that doesn't listen to you…ahem..😌
Duke, off this subject, I sent you an email at a yahoo address. Did you get it?
Hey Gertie …
Sorry, no. I don't usually check that one until I am ready to delete some. Send it again and I will check it asap.
My bad, Negev. I should have included gerrymandering in the first list. But you knew that.
Spread out a little and stop congregating exclusively in high density major metro areas and you will be much more successful at gerrymandering. There may be an ideological shift however outside the city limits.