The Trump Administration’s drug enforcement hammers are working to compile data on legal marijuana that could potentially be used to support a federal crackdown in the near future, according to documents obtained by the International Business Times.
The news source recently got its hands on an email sent by someone at the Department of Justice to Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman’s office seeking all of the juicy details surrounding the state’s crime rates since marijuana was made legal. The email could indicate that the new administration is trying to build a solid case against legal weed.
“Are you able to provide me the state docket numbers for the following cases?” the email reads. “Some of our intel people are trying to track down info regarding some of DEA’s better marijuana investigations for the new administration. Hopefully it will lead to some positive changes.”
Although President Trump maintained throughout his entire campaign that legal marijuana is an issue that should be left up to the individual states, White House spokesman Sean Spicer alluded back in February that Trump and his Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, might step up enforcement of federal law.
However, in an interview last month with national talk show host Hugh Hewitt, Sessions said that while the Department of Justice will “enforce law in an appropriate way nationwide… “It’s not possible for the federal government, of course, to take over everything the local police used to do in a state that’s legalized it.”
So far, the Trump Administration’s overall attitude concerning the issue has everyone confused. Some are scared a cannabis industry crackdown is on the horizon, while others believe the Justice Department will only focus on busting up cartel activity.
A report from the Denver Post shows the Colorado Attorney General has refused to share specific information regard the DoJ’s request because some of the cases pertain to ongoing criminal investigations.
The Post did receive clarification, however, that the inquiry is nothing out of the ordinary.
“Our office has a long-standing relationship with the DEA, as it is our role to prosecute illegal drug cases,” Colorado Attorney General spokeswoman Annie Skinner said. “The change in administration at the federal level has not changed that relationship. This email was clearly discussing current criminal cases not policy.”