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MY ANSWER IS TO LEAVE IT UP TO THE STATES AND NOT HAVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SUPERIMPOSE THIS TYPE OF PROHIBITION ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT THEY DON’T WANT.
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But many are worried about its assurance under the current administration. In February, former Press Secretary Sean Spicer suggested a strong opposition by the administration to recreational marijuana[cannabis]. (Spicer said he believed there would be “greater enforcement” against states that have legalized it. “There is still a federal law that we need to abide by,” he said.) Rohrabacher said he has faith that President Donald Trump will keep his campaign promises to lay off both medical and recreational enforcement. “In his campaign, the president was very clear that he believed that medical marijuana[cannabis] should be legalized and that recreational cannabis should be left up to the states,” Rohrabacher said. “He said that very clearly on a number of occasions and, more than any other president I’ve ever seen, this guy has been keeping his words about what his priorities would be.” However, the uncertainty that many lawmakers feel may create enough traction to bring Rohrabacher’s bill to a vote. It was introduced twice before, in 2013 and 2015, and didn’t make it very far. Rohrabacher said other things are different now. For instance, four more states (California, Nevada, Maine and Massachusetts) have voted to legalized marijuana[cannabis] since the last congressional session. “And there’s more and more evidence that the voters are on our side of the issue,” he said. “I think that will eventually have an impact
on a government that’s based on going to their constituents and asking for their vote.” Although other Republicans agree with Rohrabacher -- a number of whom belong to the Republicans Against Marijuana[Cannabis] Prohibition alliance -- mostly high-ranking party members, oppose the marijuana[cannabis] business. It’s a moral issue to them, since it has traditionally been considered a gateway drug to cocaine, heroin and other illegal narcotics. “First of all, I think beer is the ultimate gateway drug,” Rohrabacher said. “Second, if you’re a Republican, how can you believe in states’ rights and not permit the states to decide a criminal justice issue like this? “This is a criminal justice issue,” he continued. “Our founding fathers didn’t want that. It’s really disheartening to see Republicans becoming the statist advocates for more and more control over the individual and more and more power for the federal government. That’s pretty depressing to someone like me, who grew up believing that’s contrary to what Republicans are supposed to be about.” C 37
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