Jeff Sessions ignorant comments regarding cannabis.

Well, it looks like some of us were indeed correct. I'll be honest, I don't have much to add because this is infuriating.

Anti-establishment they said. For the people, they said. Gonna shake things up, they said.

I'm genuinely curious - where is Sessions outrage over alcohol abuse? How about tobacco/nicotine addiction? How about these alarming figures regarding other substances (some legal) that actually do have the potential to kill. Notice how cannabis sits pretty at the bottom of the list with a whopping zero...... but somehow cannabis is dangerous?

Give me a break. For those who want to read into the mind of ignorance, here you go.

Here's some of Mr. Sessions thoughts on the matter.

"This is the kind of argument that’s been made out there, almost a desperate attempt to defend the harmlessness of marijuana or even its benefits,” he said. “I doubt that’s true. Maybe science will prove I’m wrong, but at this point in time you and I have a responsibility to use our best judgment – that which we’ve learned over a period of years – and speak truth as best we can. My best view is that we don’t need to be legalizing marijuana.”

Maybe science will prove him wrong? What does that even mean?

Does he mean this kind of science?

How about these folks?

As for this little nugget of stupidity:

He also opined that "I’m not sure we’re going to be a better, healthier nation if we have marijuana being sold at every corner grocery store.” Grocery stores do not sell marijuana in states that regulate its medical or recreational use.

Keep on telling falsehoods, Jeff, because cannabis is not sold at grocery stores. Absolutely unreal. I don't understand how someone at the position of an AG can perpetuate such baseless claims such as this. Does he honestly believe that cannabis is sold at grocery stores?

He's thinking of alcohol and tobacco, which are far, far, far deadlier than cannabis (but h remains largely silent on that matter).

Leave it to the federal government to, once again, intervene and insert its corrupted tentacles into every little facet of Americans lives they can.

It’s unclear what exactly a Sessions crackdown on state-regulated businesses would look like. But with billions in annual sales, hundreds of millions in tax revenue and thousands of jobs on the line, states are likely to put up a fight – with Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, pledging a court fight over any attempt to destroy his state's regulated marketplace.

Because of all this should be swept under the rug, considered irrelevant, because it's "bad." Decades of research into cannabis should be dismissed because "it's bad," but a couple years of research into OxyContin or Hydrocodone is a-okay. Ironic, again, prescription narcotics are becoming a major contributor into drug overdoses and deaths. I'll leave another reminder that cannabis has never killed anyone, ever. Alcohol, tobacco, and narcotics kill people on a regular basis and there's hardly ANY outrage regarding that. But when it comes to cannabis it just must be stopped at all costs. Sessions needs to just scream about how "ITZ 4 da children," and I'm sure people would jump on board.

“We made a decision, our voters have given us a clear message,” Becerra says. “We’re going to work with the federal government to make sure there’s a clear direction.”

Yes, we the people did make a decision. As always, the federal government is ramping up its propoganda to go directly against what it's constituency base believes in.

Here's the kicker when it comes to cannabis. In states where it's medically and recreationally legal, no one, at any point, at any time, is going to force you to do something you do not want to do.

The same principle applies to alcohol, and tobacco. No one forced you, nor will they ever, to partake in these activities. This is this silly little notion called "freedom."

Whereas I don't drink alcohol, and I don't smoke cigarettes nor chew tobacco - I don't really give a # if YOU do.

The thing is, alcohol especially, is deadly. If you don't believe me you're delusional or just denying basic facts. In the link I provided earlier, one can clearly see the number of deaths per year that are associated with alcohol. There is a correlation, and one that many (including Mr. Sessions) have all but ignored, but instead substituted yet another propoganda campaign against cannabis.

I know there are threads that exist regarding Sessions and cannabis, this is more of a reminder that he is intentional and deliberate when it comes to his unparalleled ignorance on the matter (selling weed at grocery stores? Tf? Is he that daft?) and that he intends to continue this tirade against cannabis.

This is unfortunate. A grassroots movement that led to legalization to numerous different states is now being threatened because the current AG is not educated on the matter. If he is educated on the matter, he would understand that cannabis compared to alcohol and cigarettes is miles safer, and that it's not sold at a #ing grocery store. This is what is called propaganda, and once again, the federal government is ramping their game up to spread their disinformation.

If Mr. Sessions were to actually be concerned regarding cannabis, he would make a solid case for it, and they do exist. But this? This is blatantly telling falsehoods and passing them off as truth. Sessions mentions how "science may prove me wrong," which I find to be one of the ignorant statements I've ever read coming from someone who works for the federal government of the U.S. of A.

It blows my mind that in the year 2017, this debate is still going on - and that we've now taken a step backwards, and a pretty large step. I mean honestly, selling it at grocery stores? Did he just make this #alternativefact up, or did he have a Freudian slip and he meant to say alcohol?

The federal government should have more pressing concerns than dictating what the American populace are "allowed," to do. For me, this is the straw that broke the camels back. I am absolutely sick and tired of ignorance regarding anti-cannabis whilst remaining largely silent on the very real repercussions of alcohol.

Alcohol needs to be banned. It's available at local grocery stores and gas stations. It's advertised on children's TV networks using half-naked supermodels, sports stars, celebrities and a "taste of the good life." It severely affects the motor system, is responsible for over 100k traffic fatalities, leads to physiological addiction and withdrawal, is linked to violent crimes (nearly all of them involve alcohol, especially murder), and for some reason - it's a socially acceptable phenomena regardless of how many folks pass on to the next life at the whim of a bottle. People who own firearms shouldn't be allowed to drink, because the potentials of abuse and impaired judgement (this is exactly what is said regarding cannabis and gun ownership).

I'm tired of this rampant propaganda. For # sake, here's a beer emoji.

Cannabis is not the problem.

a reply to: RomeByFire

I'd bet that Sessions has been ITCHING to get into the AG office to enact this policy.

I wonder if rolling Jeff up in an "funny cigarette "
and smoking him would make me want to
have a soda at the Woolworth's counter with my best girl ?

Grrrr

what a P.O.S

yeah I am loosing my optimism regarding this administration.

a reply to: RomeByFire

Sessions should be stripped of his mason degrees

a reply to: RomeByFire

I agree. Alcohol can kill you without a car or gun though. Alcohol poisoning is very real. Narcotics kill people in and of themselves. Tobacco does also albeit it takes a while. A couple of tokes or a whole bag full has never killed or even injured anyone that I have ever heard of.

As a Trump supporter.
This is a big No No for me..

Sad

a reply to: RomeByFire

a reply to: RomeByFire

the Trump administration has commented on giving States more power and reducing Federal oversight/interference. Then they go and do something like this...

smh

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: RomeByFire

I'd bet that Sessions has been ITCHING to get into the AG office to enact this policy.

No doubt. According to Sessions, cannabis makes people violent. Methinks he meant to say alcohol, but I'm only basing that on relevant data regarding correlation of alcohol to violence.

Colorado's crime rate has dropped, as well as fatal motor vehicle accidents, after legalization but that doesn't fit the narrative so it's conviently left out of Sessions propaganda intervals.

From the big con-man himself:

“We’re gonna give you back a lot of the powers that have been taken away from states,” Trump said.

Haaa, yeah okay. Typical politician telling the people want they want to hear whilst doing the exact opposite.

Even Forbes is calling out Sessions ridiculous comments, in particular his comment regarding Lady Gaga being addicted to pot.

You can delicately pick apart each and every thing Sessions has had to say regarding cannabis and easily debunk them, however, is it really worth it? Clearly this man has made his mind up, closed it off, and thrown out the key. JUST the kind of people we need to be operating at high levels of federal government.

For good measure, here's this nugget of wisdom:

Young people find ways to get alcohol because adults can have access to it. I'm not sure that we'll see the same thing here given what we have said with regard to our enforcement priorities.

HAHAHAHAH so he admits that alcohol is obtained by minors, just glosses over that, and insists that this is a dangerous precedent because the same can happen with cannabis. So it's not necessarily a problem that minors can get alcohol, it's a problem that the same precedent would lead to minors getting cannabis, though.

When cannabis starts to be advertised (glorified) by movie stars, celebrity sports stars (like how they do with alcohol), then I would undoubtedly be concerned. I'm not an advocate for people consuming cannabis but we live in a "free nation," no?

The entire debacle just blows my mind.

originally posted by: RomeByFire
I'm tired of this rampant propaganda. For # sake, here's a beer emoji.

Cannabis is not the problem.

By Jove, indeed

Neither is beer, actually.

a reply to: RomeByFire

Alcohol withdrawal can kill you

The fact that alcohol is legal and continues to be will remain the biggest hypocrisy to keeping literally ANY other drug illegal. Alcohol if it wasn't protected by the alcohol lobby would be a schedule 1 drug. I guarantee it.

originally posted by: brutus61
a reply to: RomeByFire

I agree. Alcohol can kill you without a car or gun though. Alcohol poisoning is very real. Narcotics kill people in and of themselves. Tobacco does also albeit it takes a while. A couple of tokes or a whole bag full has never killed or even injured anyone that I have ever heard of.

And people should be able to drink alcohol, or smoke cancer sticks if they damn well please.

I'm not an authoritarian want to be like many others, I'm busy and stressed enough living my own life - I DO NOT want to tell others how they should lives theirs.

It's simple common sense that can be backed up with a myriad of objective studies by multiple entities - cannabis is FAR safer than other "legal," drugs, but don't misconstrue me - it's not to say it's absolutely harmless. I'm not one to push the narrative that cannabis is great and there's no harm to it. Of course there is.

But then again, it's harmful to be a 30-year old male who eats themselves into cardiac arrest from hitting up McDonald's and Burger King on a regular basis. We don't go around shutting fast food joints down, do we?

We truly do live in a nanny state.

a reply to: RomeByFire

The issue over cannabis is also one of jobs. Right now the cannabis and hemp market place is employing a great deal of people, making people a great deal of money. Tax revenues are up where it is legal too.

Given also that the plant in its various forms can replace products used in paper, given that it also has uses in the clothing and construction market place, and that basically it could be a very lucrative and useful crop for more reasons than its psychoactive properties, the US would be shooting itself in the foot to allow the stupidity of 1913 to continue any further than it already has.

Interesting, is it not, that this was also the year of the Federal Reserve. I am sure these things are entirely coincidental, of course...

Picture my surprise when Trump nominated a relic with 70 year old bad ideas for Attorney General.

MAGA, circa 1934.

ETA: What's funny is Sessions comments about the violence surrounding the illegal sale of cannabis being a major bad thing about it. Which is only a problem BECAUSE it's illegal.

a reply to: ForteanOrg

No it's not, but it's empirically more deadly than cannabis ever could be, throughout the entirety of written history.

Why keep a substance as deadly as alcohol legal, while continuing a propoganda campaign against a substance that isn't deadly?

There's much, much more to this than a simple question of safety.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: RomeByFire

Alcohol withdrawal can kill you

The fact that alcohol is legal and continues to be will remain the biggest hypocrisy to keeping literally ANY other drug illegal. Alcohol if it wasn't protected by the alcohol lobby would be a schedule 1 drug. I guarantee it.

Here's some interesting numbers about alcohol.

About 17.6 million adults in the U.S. currently suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence. Several million more people engage in risky, binge drinking patterns that can lead to alcohol problems.2 Nearly 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes every year in the U.S.3 As many as one-third of adults in the U.S. have alcohol use disorder (AUD) at some point in their lives, but only about 20 percent receive treatment.4 In 2014, an estimated 679,000 adolescents ages 12-17 had an AUD.5 About 20 percent of college students meet the criteria for an AUD.5 Every year, about 1,825 students ages 18-24 incur alcohol-related unintentional fatal injuries, including motor-vehicle crashes.5 About 1 in 4 college students report academic consequences from drinking, including missing class, falling behind in class, doing poorly on exams or papers and receiving lower grades overall.5

But we should be worried about cannabis? Why?

a reply to: TrueBrit

The hemp industry is the elephant in the room when it comes to cannabis.

The most anti-pot propaganda I've seen never mentions the hemp industry, which is convinient for TPTB.

Fun fact - a 6x6 cannabis field produces more resources than an entire acre of trees, and grows back roughly 8x as fast. Understanding the hemp industry, this is huge. From oils to plastics, to "hempcrete," to ropes/leathers, from medicines to clothing utilities, from cooking recipes to the industrial use of hemp - there's an entire industry that's being halted because of federal prohibition and propaganda.

And beyond all of this - it should be a personal choice. If one can drink alcohol, one can consume cannabis - and this isn't even mentioning the psychoactive substances found in ONE of the multiple different CBD compounds found in cannabis.

My girlfriend has PCOS and has a medication for cannabis. It doesn't get you high, it doesn't get you buzzed. It doesn't make you feel elevated, nor tired. It has NO psychoactive affects on the user. Needless to say, it's always a fun time when people talk ill of cannabis and don't even consider those who do use it as a medicine rather than a recreational drug.

a reply to: RomeByFire

By the way, if marijuana is legalized, acid, mushrooms, and even ecstasy should also be legalized. They are all less dangerous than marijuana. And even less addictive. All three of them also have psycho-therapeutic uses too. Of course, just like with weed, the government won't admit to it.

a reply to: RomeByFire

My argument is, that how a person uses it, or whether they do, is their business, no one else but theirs. Its not for the state to legislate against, its not for the Federal government to have a say in.

Sessions can not like mj all he wants, he can't do anything about it if it's not illegal. This bill was just introduced to congress. The ball's in their court.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today 5th District Congressman Tom Garrett introduced legislation aimed at federally decriminalizing marijuana.

The short title for this legislation is cited as the "Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017." If passed, this bill would take marijuana off the federal controlled substances list - joining other industries such as alcohol and tobacco.

Originally introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders in 2015, this bill fulfills a responsibility to create a level playing field across the country.

tomgarrett.house.gov...