Jeff Sessions: Marijuana Is “Only Slightly Less Awful” Than Heroin

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Jeff Sessions, the U.S. Attorney General, had some typically harsh words about marijuana today, at a time when legal pot supporters in Massachusetts and elsewhere are on high alert over how the new government will treat the drug.

In prepared remarks for a speech to law enforcement in Richmond today, he outlined his stance on marijuana use, which he has long opposed, saying that “dependency” on it is “only slightly less awful” than heroin.

I realize this may be an unfashionable belief in a time of growing tolerance of drug use.  But too many lives are at stake to worry about being fashionable.  I reject the idea that America will be a better place if marijuana is sold in every corner store.  And I am astonished to hear people suggest that we can solve our heroin crisis by legalizing marijuana – so people can trade one life-wrecking dependency for another that’s only slightly less awful.  Our nation needs to say clearly once again that using drugs will destroy your life.

To that end, he continued, he said he supports a renewed drug awareness campaign on the “terrible truth about drugs”, like the ones rolled out decades ago.

In the ’80s and ’90s, we saw how campaigns stressing prevention brought down drug use and addiction.  We can do this again.  Educating people and telling them the terrible truth about drugs and addiction will result in better choices.  We can reduce the use of drugs, save lives and turn back the surge in crime that inevitably follows in the wake of increased drug abuse.

His full remarks are available here.

This is, needless to say, an extreme take. It’s true that a portion of marijuana users develop a dependency on the drug, and researchers have found evidence of withdrawal symptoms among heavy users who stop. But the rate of addiction is much lower than it is for habitual abusers of alcohol or tobacco, and using marijuana is known to be much less dangerous than either of those legal vices.

Opioid overdoses killed nearly 2,000 people last year in Massachusetts alone. Addiction to painkillers and other opioid products can set in fast, it’s a perplexingly difficult addiction to beat, and use of heroin in the region has become even more dangerous amid the rise of a new, highly concentrated drug called fentanyl. You can’t overdose on marijuana.

Among other medical applications, marijuana can be used to treat chronic pain, as a substitute for addictive painkilling drugs, and areas with greater access to medical marijuana appear to have reduced levels of opioid abuse.

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Sessions also told reporters on Monday he thinks “medical marijuana has been hyped, maybe too much.”

While he has sent signals he sees merit in Obama-era guidelines on priorities for drug enforcement, Sessions on Wednesday did not address the big question on the minds of Massachusetts pro-cannabis activists, pot entrepreneurs, and regulators: Will he oversee a crackdown on recreational marijuana shops and medical marijuana dispensaries, which still technically violate federal law?

In a statement today, pot proponent Jim Borghesani, spokesman for the campaign that legalized recreational marijuana use in Massachusetts, called Sessions’ remarks “absurd and contemptible,” and said he remains on edge about the future but “cautiously optimistic” that Trump will leave the state’s soon-to-be-budding marijuana industry alone:

Sessions’ archaic sentiments on marijuana are absurd and contemptible, but the larger trouble area is his ability to put DOJ resources to work counteracting voter-approved policy in legal states.  So far I’ve seen no official indication from Sessions or President Trump of such action.  So, I remain cautiously optimistic that Trump is going to honor his campaign rhetoric about letting states determine their approach to marijuana policy. 

[JustSayin]

He's made up his mind hasn't he?

there is almost nowhere to go with a mentality like that.

Haven;t we dealt with this kind of stupidity long enough?

Let all of us show no support and things will change

Unfortunately no one with any clout opposed this guy in the first place.

Complacency breeds sneaky bed fellows

[3V1L9371U5]

Fuck that crusty old fossil.



Said it before, and I'll say it again:  I hope he gets ass cancer.

[Uruk-High]

Dude is 80 years old, so no way in hell he's going to warm up to MJ now. I don't give a crap what he says, let's see what he does. There will be hell to pay if he is allowed to go after MJ!

[jones]

Dude is 80 years old, so no way in hell he's going to warm up to MJ now. I don't give a crap what he says, let's see what he does. There will be hell to pay if he is allowed to go after MJ!

Actually it would be just too bad if Jeff Sessions or a close relative came down with something that only marijuana could help with
         other than that, killing most of the elderly is the only solution I have--Perhaps enforced viewing of Sanjay Gupta explaining
                    the benefits of the magical herbage

[Uruk-High]

Dude is 80 years old, so no way in hell he's going to warm up to MJ now. I don't give a crap what he says, let's see what he does. There will be hell to pay if he is allowed to go after MJ!

Actually it would be just too bad if Jeff Sessions or a close relative came down with something that only marijuana could help with
         other than that, killing most of the elderly is the only solution I have--Perhaps enforced viewing of Sanjay Gupta explaining
                    the benefits of the magical herbage

You make a damn good point, Jones. I've read a few stories where these old bastards change their tune when either a family member or a close personal friend take advantage of MJ in a dire situation. No amount of propaganda sticks when you see the alternate reality and benefits right in front of you.

[avoca]

Sessions and basically all prohibitionists are RACING towards altzheimers and dementia. Fuck these motherfuckers , they most likely will get what they deserve. They used their brains to oppress people and eventually brains will rebel sans any cannabinoid supplements.

Look what happened to Reagan, sweet justice there indeed! Not that I want anyone whosoever to get terminal illness but damnit if prohibitionists don't deserve some payback!

[KratomToke]

What a dick Jeff Sessions. To Mr. Sessions "Wake up fool, Marijuana isn't killing people, heroin is!"

Oh and Mr. Sessions, what study have you found that links weed to opiates? Oh wait there are none dip shit!

[jones]

What a dick Jeff Sessions. To Mr. Sessions "Wake up fool, Marijuana isn't killing people, heroin is!"

Oh and Mr. Sessions, what study have you found that links weed to opiates? Oh wait there are none dip shit!

How about that study linking opiate use with evil tobacco?

[jones]

Dude is 80 years old, so no way in hell he's going to warm up to MJ now. I don't give a crap what he says, let's see what he does. There will be hell to pay if he is allowed to go after MJ!

Actually it would be just too bad if Jeff Sessions or a close relative came down with something that only marijuana could help with
         other than that, killing most of the elderly is the only solution I have--Perhaps enforced viewing of Sanjay Gupta explaining
                    the benefits of the magical herbage

You make a damn good point, Jones. I've read a few stories where these old bastards change their tune when either a family member or a close personal friend take advantage of MJ in a dire situation. No amount of propaganda sticks when you see the alternate reality and benefits right in front of you.

It can happen,
    I once turned a democrat into a conservative

[Subgenius]

A bottle of  Jenkem is only slightly less awful than Attorney General Jeff Sessions