Eugene, Oregon Cannabis Lawyer – HR 1227

Oregonians have been uneasy ever since Jeff Sessions was nominated for Attorney General by President Trump earlier this year, and for good reason: in the recent past, Sessions has expressed open disdain for people who use cannabis. Nevertheless, when questioned about cannabis he has also committed himself to enforcing the law – no matter what the law is. Many in Congress saw that as “throwing down the gauntlet” moment, as the Attorney General basically dared congress to pass a law overturning the national cannabis prohibition.

House of Representatives Bill 1227: The Ending Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017

As a response to Sessions’ challenge, a bipartisan group of legislators drafted the Ending Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017. Essentially, the Ending Marijuana Prohibition Act amends United States Code Chapter 21, section 801, more commonly known as the Controlled Substances Act. Intriguingly, the bill includes language which would permit international import and export of cannabis to and from the United States of America. If passed, this would be the first-such law in the world.

International Questions

Of course, this also complicates matters significantly. Theoretically, the United States of America has been allied with dozens of other countries for almost fifty years fighting the “War on Drugs.” With world leaders like Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte embarking on almost genocidal revivals of old-school drug law while other countries like Portugal have been experimenting with drug legalization for more than fifteen years, it is hard to say how the countries of the world might react to the planet’s most powerful economy putting its weight behind what has already proven to be a multi-billion dollar industry.

But What Will The President Do?

Speaking of multiples of billions, noted teetotaler President Donald J. Trump weighed in on the marijuana question during the run-up to the 2016 election, pledging to leave marijuana policy up to the states. This would be in line with a traditional constructionist constitutional conservative approach which considers the tenth amendment and those powers thereby left to the state sacrosanct. Now, whether President Trump can manage to wade through what he described as a “swamp” to find allies in the Republican party willing to part with what has been an established “conservative” position since Nixon is another question entirely. None the less, President Trump has shown himself to be doggedly committed to fulfilling his promises, no matter how audacious or absurd. Marijuana legalization advocates are hoping he shows the same resolve once a bill like HR 1227 reaches his desk.

Cannabis Lawyer in Eugene, Oregon – Veralrud and Fowler

When you have legal questions about cannabis, you can find sage council at Eugene, Oregon law firm Veralrud and Fowler. Their crack legal team stays on top of the constantly-changing legal landscape so you can go about your business in peace. And, if the unthinkable does happen, Veralrud and Fowler will be there to advocate on the behalf of honest, law-abiding citizens just trying to do their own thing in the State they love. If you have cannabis law questions, give Veralrud and Fowler a call today!