U.S. attorney general nominee may shift marijuana enforcement policyJanuary 19, 2019 - 16:38 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The booming business of legalized marijuana may be seeing a favorable shift from the Trump administration. Attorney General nominee William Barr's testimony this week signaled potential relief for business owners in states that have enacted various laws legalizing cannabis products, CBS News reports. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and there's no consensus in Congress on a recent proposal to change that. In front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Barr said he doesn't plan on using federal resources to "go after" companies if they are complying with state law. That would be a reversal from the approach taken by his predecessor, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who vowed to pursue federal violations more aggressively. According to Erik Altieri, executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Barr's stance is a good sign for advocates but it remains to be seen if his actions will follow through on his pledge. "It's encouraging but we do need to remain vigilant to keep him to hold his word to the American people," Altieri told CBSN's Reena Ninan. His organization is a non-profit that supports responsible pro-marijuana policy. While 10 states and Washington, D.C. have legalized recreational adult use of marijuana, and more than 20 other states allow some medical uses, U.S. attorneys can still prosecute its possession and sale under federal law. Last year, Sessions reversed an Obama-era policy that encouraged federal prosecutors to take a hands-off approach in states where marijuana is legal. This put business owners back at higher risk of coming under federal scrutiny. While Barr's stance may seem like a departure from his previous get-tough approach to drug policy, he made it clear during his testimony that he doesn't support federal legalization. "I think it's a mistake to back off on marijuana," said Barr. "However, if we want a federal approach, if we want states to have their own laws, then let's get there and let's get there the right way." He said Department of Justice policy should align with congressional legislation. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Meeting with U.S., EU not against third parties, says Armenia The meeting scheduled for April 5 is dedicated to strengthening of the Armenia-EU-US cooperation, Yerevan added. Ucom launches network modernization efforts in few regions of Armenia In particular, on March 28, the legacy Mobile Switching Subsystem will be replaced with a new one. Baku: EU, U.S. share responsibility for Armenia’s “destabilizing actions” Azerbaijan has declared that the European Union and the United States will share responsibility for any destabilizing actions of Armenia Armenia to sing in 2nd semi-final of Eurovision The organizers of Eurovision 2024 have revealed the running order of the countries in the two semi-finals. |