WASHINGTON 鈥� Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh said the Trump administration鈥檚 policy change on pot creates confusion for Maryland where dispensaries just started making medical marijuana available to patients last month.
“I think wait-and-see is all we can do at the moment,” Frosh said referring to the move by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Sessions issued a memo Thursday rescinding an Obama-era policy that kept federal authorities from cracking down on the pot trade in states where the drug is legal. The Department of Justice referred to it as a 鈥渞eturn to the rule of law.”
Frosh said there are now a lot of unanswered questions for states where pot has been legalized for medicinal and recreational use.
Maryland legalized medical marijuana and decriminalized the possession of small amounts of the drug four years ago, but the state has not legalized recreational use.
Frosh said the Trump administration鈥檚 position on marijuana was 鈥渋nhumane.鈥�
Frosh cited testimony offered when Maryland lawmakers considered making pot available to patients with terminal or chronic diseases, he said patients who could benefit from medical marijuana shouldn鈥檛 have to worry about prosecution.
鈥淭hose folks need treatment,” Frosh said. “It鈥檚 inhumane to say to them 鈥榊eah, we may arrest you and drag you off to jail.'”
Frosh acknowledged that under the Constitution, the federal government鈥檚 policy-making authority is supreme.
鈥淲hen they make laws that are within the purview of the United States government, states can鈥檛 override them,” Frosh said. “We鈥檒l have to work around them or work with them.鈥�
