Medical marijuana is now legal in Pennsylvania under state law, says state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, even if U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions claims it’s illegal under federal law.
“It’s my job to uphold the law here in Pennsylvania; and on a bipartisan basis, the legislature passed and the governor signed a medicinal marijuana law that is very popular,” Shapiro told KDKA political editor Jon Delano on Monday.
Sessions, however, has withdrawn an Obama administration ruling that protected parents and medical cannabis users from federal prosecution, leaving it up to the state’s three U.S. Attorneys to decide what to do in their areas.
In the center part of the state, U.S. Attorney David Freed has been clear, declaring, “My office has no intention of disrupting Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program or related financial transactions.”
But local western Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney Scott Brady has not been so clear, saying, “This office will continue to deploy all prosecutorial tools at our disposal to protect the citizens of western Pennsylvania from those individuals and criminal organizations which traffic in all illegal controlled substances, including marijuana.”
Given that uncertainty, Shapiro says he will stand up for Pennsylvanians.
Delano: “Can you protect and defend Pennsylvania parents or Pennsylvania patients who use medical marijuana from a federal criminal charge?”
Shapiro: “Take a look at my record. I have protected the interests of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from federal overreach. We have sued the federal government. We have defended the rules of our Commonwealth multiple times, and I haven’t lost yet.”
