Trump Administration targets recreational marijuana

Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions ended an Obama-era federal policy that provided legal shelter for marijuana sales in California, Nevada and four other states (Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Maine) that have allowed recreational pot, placing at risk thousands of marijuana businesses operating legally under state laws.

The Justice Department move on Thursday plunged California’s fledgling recreational pot market into further uncertainty, and was met with a bipartisan backlash from lawmakers in states where marijuana is now sold legally to any adult who wants to buy it.

"It is the mission of the Department of Justice to enforce the laws of the United States,” Sessions said in a statement, which added that the Obama-era policy that directed federal prosecutors not to target state marijuana businesses “undermines the rule of law and the ability of our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners to carry out this mission."

States that have legalized girded to fight.

“In California, we decided it was best to regulate, not criminalize, cannabis. Unlike others, we embrace, not fear, change,” Atty. Gen Xavier Becerra said. “After all, this is 2018 not the 20th century. At the California Department of Justice we intend to vigorously enforce our state's laws and protect our state's interests.”

For Original Story -> http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-pot-sessions-20180104-story.html