Press Releases

Americans for Safe Access cites concerns for medical cannabis patients as Sessions named leader of Department of Justice

Statement from Steph Sherer, executive director of Americans for Safe Access, on President-elect Donald Trump’s appointment of Jeff Sessions to head the United States Justice Department.

"Throughout the 2016 campaign, President-elect Trump repeatedly said he supports medical cannabis and that he believes states should be able to set their own policies in this area. Many medical cannabis patients and their families supported his candidacy because they believed he would be better on this issue than his opponent. However, the nomination of Jeff Sessions as the next Attorney General of the United States is a tremendous cause for concern to medical cannabis patients and their families.

“President-elect Trump needs to reassure the more than 300 million Americans living under some sort of medical cannabis law that his Attorney General will honor his campaign pledge to respect state medical cannabis programs. As a senator, Sessions has criticized the morality of cannabis users and has stated that cannabis is more harmful than alcohol. Plain and simple, medical cannabis is a critical therapy used by millions of patients to alleviate symptoms of epilepsy, chemotherapy, HIV/AIDS, chronic pain, and more.

“We urge President-elect Trump to continue his support for medical cannabis by encouraging Sessions to act in the best interest of medical cannabis users nationwide and respect state medical cannabis programs.”