It’s only been a few years since the Rocky Mountains became even higher with Colorado’s legalization of recreational marijuana, but now some are worried that the laws may soon be reversed. The country has a new administration in the White House, and the attorney general is talking about going after any states that have set their own laws to allow the selling of weed.

A lot of people are concerned about this, but is it just a classic case of paranoia? Here’s a straightforward explanation of what’s going on, and let us know if you’re still stressed out after reading it – we can recommend a good strain that will help you relax.

Who is the Attorney General?

First off, we should clear up who Jeff Sessions is. He’s the new attorney general for President Trump, and he’s the head of the Justice Department. In other words, he’s basically the top law enforcement person, and the main lawyer for the government. So, it’s not really up to him what laws will be created, but he can be pretty influential in deciding what’s allowed to stay.

Jeff Sessions’ Thoughts on Cannabis

To put it mildly, Jeff Sessions isn’t a guy you’re likely to be sharing a blunt with anytime soon. He has already come out and said that since the federal government bans cannabis, he doesn’t think states should be able to decide if they want to make it legal. He compares it to the dangers of heroin, and has talked about how much trouble we’re in now that some states are allowing it to be sold.

Basically, he wants to weed to go back to being categorized as evil and horrible, and to stop people from getting it.

Medical vs. Recreational

If it makes you feel any better, he does think that there’s a difference between marijuana that you buy for fun, and what you buy because you need it. He’s primarily going after recreational sales, but he doesn’t have as much of a problem with medical marijuana.

Difference from Obama’s Policies

When Barack Obama was president, his general policy was to keep away from issues around marijuana legalization and let states decide for themselves. However, he didn’t make any formal laws to protect this way of thinking, so the door was open for the next person living in the White House to choose their own path to follow. Donald Trump hasn’t communicated a strong stance either way, but right now he seems to be letting his attorney general make his own decisions about what needs to be done.

The Law in Colorado

In case you’ve been living under a rock, the big law this is about is Amendment 64, which was passed in 2012 to make cannabis legal in Colorado. It was an issue only decided in the state – nothing to do with the federal government – and it became a big hit that has motivated other states to follow along. That is, unless the attorney general manages to prove that states don’t have these decision-making powers.

Federal Laws vs. State Saws

The fact that Colorado and other states have passed their own marijuana laws about this is key in this situation. Cannabis is still illegal for all purposes under federal law, but it’s basically been left up to the states if they want to set different rules about it – as long as they create certain setups that regulate their decisions. This is the area that Jeff Sessions could attack.

Colorado Could Be a Success Story

It’s been a few years now since pot was made legal in Colorado for recreational purposes, and even longer for medical reasons. That’s good news because all the predictions about how terrible it would be for society start to fall apart when looking at Colorado and seeing a success story. It’s helping convince people in other states that not only is it not a bad idea, but it might actually be smart.

Other States Getting Involved

Other states have started to follow suit by allowing medical or recreational marijuana, but some have continued to try to go the other direction. From the start, Colorado has been challenged by other states (especially its neighbors) who claim that there’s no good way to prevent people from buying their ganja in the Centennial State, and then taking it across borders. These people are already lining up as allies of Jeff Sessions, but it could potentially backfire.

Should You Be Worried?

Now that you know more about what’s going on, let’s talk about how worried you should be. There is, of course, a risk that Jeff Sessions could completely attack marijuana and cause it to become illegal again in Colorado.

However, many people are predicting that this whole discussion could just end up helping the cannabis industry. A large part of the population is for the legalization, and they’re likely to see it as the government overstepping their boundaries by trying to get rid of it. So while some people in the government may be attacking the states’ right to allow it, others may start pushing for the federal laws to stop prohibiting it.

You should be concerned, but maybe not worried.

What You Can Do

If you don’t want to see cannabis pulled off the shelves in Colorado, the best thing you can do is to stay involved and updated! People have a lot of power, and it’s the job of elected politicians to listen to them. Jeff Sessions may target the plant, but other high-level lawmakers may go against him if they start fearing for their own reelection campaigns. Speak up, and make sure your voice is heard.