Sessions’ marijuana crackdown worries Brooklyn lawmaker
Sen. Savino writes prosecutors to urge adherence to NYS law
A decision by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to make it easier for federal prosecutors around the country to crackdown on marijuana use even in states where pot has been legalized is raising alarm bells for one Brooklyn lawmaker who is moving swiftly to seek assurances that New York state’s medical marijuana law will remain untouched.
State Sen. Diane Savino (D-Coney Island-Bensonhurst-Staten Island), the main sponsor of the state’s landmark Compassionate Care Act legalizing marijuana for medical treatment, has expressed concern over a Justice Department memo written by Sessions that essentially removes barriers U.S. attorneys faced when trying to prosecute cases involving pot.
While two dozen states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, the sale, distribution and use of pot still remains illegal under federal law.