Spicer Suggests Crackdown on Recreational Pot Is Coming

Marijuana is still illegal under federal law, and the White House has signaled that the eight states that have legalized recreational use will soon be reminded of that fact. At a press briefing Thursday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters he believes we will soon see "greater enforcement" of the law when it comes to recreational marijuana, though he said President Trump has no problem with medical use, the Hill reports. "There is still a federal law we need to abide by in terms of when it comes to recreational marijuana and other drugs of that nature," Spicer said.

Spicer linked recreational marijuana use to the opioid addiction crisis, which the Los Angeles Times calls "an incendiary charge that many medical experts would dispute." Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson tells the Seattle Times that he will protect the state's legal pot law and resist any attempt to "undermine the will" of voters. Other critics noted that on the campaign trail, Trump said the issue should be left to the states. "If the administration is looking for ways to become less popular, cracking down on voter-approved marijuana laws would be a great way to do it," Tom Angell, chairman of the pro-legalization Marijuana Majority group, tells USA Today. (More marijuana stories.)