With White House press secretary Sean Spicer suggesting Thursday that the Trump administration would crack down on states that have legal recreational marijuana, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson vowed to defend Washington states legal pot law.
I will resist any efforts by the Trump administration to undermine the will of the voters in Washington state, Ferguson said in an interview.
Spicer said during a press briefing Thursday that the issue rests with the Justice Department. But he said, I do believe that youll see greater enforcement of it.
He added its something that the Department of Justice I think will be further looking into. No details were provided.
Ferguson and Gov. Jay Inslee sent a letter to U.S. attorney general Jeff Sessions, dated Feb. 15 that laid out arguments for Washingtons state-regulated pot industry.
They said illegal dealing is being displaced by a tightly regulated industry that is projected to pay $272 million in taxes this fiscal year. That frees up law-enforcement officers to protect communities facing more pressing threats. They also noted that legal pot entrepreneurs must undergo criminal and financial background checks.
Given the limited resources available for marijuana law enforcement, a return to full prohibition is highly unlikely to end the illicit production, trafficking and consumption of marijuana, wrote Ferguson and Inslee, who asked for a meeting with Sessions.
