With marijuana popularity soaring, California authorities are coming out to protect Prop. 64 and recreational legalization.
In November, Californian residents approved Prop. 64 and legalized recreational marijuana. Last Thursday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer threatened to derail the will of the voters by foreshadowing a possible crackdown on marijuana.
Last week, we reported on the reactions coming from Washington’s governor and attorney general. But now, California lawmakers are also coming to the defense of recreational marijuana.
Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom is worried that a rollback of marijuana reforms could lead to far less control and regulation. “Dealers don’t card kids. I urge you and your administration to work in partnership with California and the other eight states that have legalized recreational marijuana for adult use in a way that will let us enforce our state laws that protect the public and our children, while targeting the bad actors.”
Other lawmakers were intent on moving forward until there is a concrete direction from federal authorities.
“Until we see any sort of formal plan from the federal government, it’s full speed ahead for us,” said Alex Traverso, a spokesman for the California Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra took on a feistier tone as he signaled his willingness to push back against federal intervention.
“I took an oath to enforce the laws that California has passed,” Becerra said in a statement Thursday after Spicer spoke about “tougher enforcement” of marijuana. “If there is action from the federal government on this subject, I will respond in an appropriate way to protect the interests of California.”
California Congressman Dana Rohrabacher has made efforts to pass comprehensive marijuana reform in the US Congress. He recently unveiled a bill that would block federal authorities from interfering with state-sanctioned marijuana laws. This would all but take the Trump administration out of the equation and erase the anxiety many have over the president and his anti-marijuana cabinet members.
