Attorney General William Barr is a lot different than former Attorney General Jeff Sessions who was adamantly against marijuana reform.
According to Barr, he prefers that Congress enact legislation allowing states to legalize marijuana instead of the current federal law.
Barr says that the Justice Department is actively reviewing legislation that would accomplish that.
It was this week during a Senate appropriations hearing, that Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) asked Barr about the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) Act, a bipartisan bill that would protect legal marijuana states from federal intervention.
“The situation that I think is intolerable and which I’m opposed to is the current situation we’re in, and I would prefer one of two approaches rather than where we are,” Barr answered. “Personally, I would still favor one uniform federal rule against marijuana but, if there is not sufficient consensus to obtain that, then I think the way to go is to permit a more federal approach so states can make their own decisions within the framework of the federal law and so we’re not just ignoring the enforcement of federal law.”
The bill is currently being circulated internally through the Justice Department “for comment.”
“Once we get those comments, we’ll be able to work with you on any concerns about the STATES law, but I would much rather that approach—the approach taken by the STATES Act—than where we currently are,” explained the Attorney General.
