Trump Administration Deletes Cannabis Opposition From WhiteHouse.gov

Posted: 
February 5, 2017

No one has a solid grasp on what policies President Donald Trump plans to impose on cannabis regulation. During the campaign trail as the Republican presidential nominee, Mr. Trump clearly stated that he supported the use of medical cannabis. He added that cannabis legislation should be enacted by the states.

Further, during an interview with GQ, President-elect Donald Trump again voiced his support for medical cannabis.

"Legalized marijuana is always a difficult question," President-elect Trump said. "For medicinal purposes, for medical purposes, absolutely, it's fine."

While the president's pick for attorney general, Senator Jeff Sessions, has made statements in diametric opposition to cannabis use, he went on to tell Congress that it should legalize cannabis if its illegality is undesired.

President Trump's pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, General John F. Kelly, stated that cannabis legalization in the states undermined U.S. efforts to stop illegal drug trafficking. However, Gen. Kelly went on to support cannabis use for medical purposes.

One of the Trump administration's latest moves may also fuel speculation on the president's stance on legalization.

The page for the Office of National Control Policy that communicated the White House's adamant opposition to cannabis legalization was taken down. The following screenshot of the WayBack Machine shows what the WhiteHouse.gov portal used to read addressing cannabis prior to President Trump's inauguration.

"The Administration steadfastly opposes legalization of marijuana and other drugs because legalization would increase the availability and use of illicit drugs, and pose significant health and safety risks to all Americans, particularly young people."

All you see now is a promise of upcoming updates to the web page.

Does this mean the Trump administration will end the executive office's opposition to cannabis legislation at a federal level? The change is probably more of a thorough overhaul of how he wants WhiteHouse.gov and the rest of his communication material structured. I am sure as with everything else he supports, he wants everything done through his voice and mandate. Therefore, I wouldn't make this a clear sign of support for legalization yet.

However, a look back into 1990 reveals one promising reference when the Sarasota Herald-Tribune quoted Donald Trump calling for legalization of all drugs.

We're losing badly the war on drugs... You have to legalize drugs to win that war. You have to take the profit away from these drug czars."

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