President Donald Trump’s (R) White House suggested in a recent document that Washington D.C.’s voter-approved cannabis decriminalization policy had led to “disorder” in the nation’s capital city.
The fact sheet, first reported by Marijuana Moment, was released accompanying an executive order from President Trump covering the beautification of the nation’s capital city.
“D.C.’s failed policies opened the door to disorder — and criminals noticed,” the White House noted in the document, then listed several policies, including cannabis decriminalization and the abandonment of pre-trial detention practices, as examples. The executive order itself does not mention cannabis outright, but refers to “deploying a more robust Federal law enforcement presence and coordinating with local law enforcement to facilitate … a more robust local law enforcement presence” in the District, highlighting “drug possession, sale, and use,” among other concerns.
The president said during last year’s election that he supported federally rescheduling cannabis — a process that was initiated by the Biden Administration — and that he would vote yes on Florida’s ballot question last year to legalize adult-use cannabis, which ultimately failed to pass. The president, who failed to enact or pursue any significant cannabis reforms during his first four-year term, has not otherwise addressed the issue since re-taking office.
The president’s nominee to head the DEA, Terry Cole, is a 22-year veteran of the agency.
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