The transition of power became official today as Donald J. Trump took the oath of office of the President of the United States of America.
Earlier today, President Trump’s administration officially started its tenure in the White House. There is excitement and anxiety throughout the nation. Many of Trump’s supporters are optimistic about a promised manufacturing resurgence, while others, including those in the cannabis industry, are worried about their future employment.
Today’s transition was accompanied by numerous protests. As Trump was making his acceptance speech, protestors lit up over 9,000 joints that were given out earlier in the morning. The marijuana advocacy group, DCMJ, planned the giveaway weeks ago, and despite the gloomy weather, found eager recipients for their joints.
The protests from the marijuana community seemed to be based on Jeff Sessions’ nomination for Attorney General. Sessions once joked that the KKK was “not so bad” until he found out that some smoked marijuana. Last year, on the Senate floor, he said that “good people don’t smoke marijuana.”
At his Senate confirmation hearing, Sessions seemed to take a friendlier tone toward marijuana but did indicate that it would be his responsibility to carry out the law of the land.
The saving grace could be Trump’s guarantees of job creation and economic success under his administration. Will he seek to erase the gains of the marijuana industry? Will he turn away a potential windfall of tax dollars desperately needed by states? Would a new president want to eliminate thousands of new jobs? How would taking away relief, safe access, and medicine for those in need play out politically? Perhaps the popular “state rights” mantra of the GOP will guide Trump’s direction on marijuana policy.
Only time will tell how the Trump administration plans to handle marijuana. No one truly knows what lies ahead for the marijuana industry, but our community has endured quite a bit over the decades and should be able to endure this latest test.
