Sessions Talks Marijuana With Anti-Legalization Canadian Senators

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions sat down on Wednesday with three Canadian senators who are trying to defeat efforts to legalize marijuana in their country.

“The legalization of marijuana in Canada could have profound effects in our interaction with our closest neighbour and friend, the United States,” said Sen. Denise Batters. “In our review of this legislation, Conservative Senators have discovered many unintended consequences stemming from the Trudeau Government’s haste to implement legalization. We are here to further explore and address some of the international implications with our most important trading partner.”

The senators from Canada’s Conservative Party traveled to Washington, D.C. to investigate the “predictable consequences of legalization for Canadians traveling to the United States,” according to a press release.

My #CPC #SenCA colleagues and I were happy to meet US Atty-Gen Jeff Sessions today to discuss impact of Canada's #marijuana legalization on Can-US border + relations. We're in Washington to get answers we haven't been able to get from #Trudeau government! https://t.co/4qNyWf638R pic.twitter.com/SzNQMw3SE6

— Sen. Denise Batters (@denisebatters) April 4, 2018

The Liberal government of Prime Minister Justice Trudeau is working to fulfill a campaign pledge to legalize cannabis, and is hoping to enact its bill this summer.

The legislation was approved by the House of Commons last November and cleared the Senate’s second reading stage last month and is now in the committee stage, where it can be amended.

BREAKING: Canadian Senate approves marijuana legalization bill on second reading, 44-29. pic.twitter.com/zqOi3y3tRX

— Tom Angell 🌳📰 (@tomangell) March 22, 2018

Sessions, a longtime legalization opponent, moved in January to rescind Obama-era guidance that has generally allowed state to implement their own marijuana laws without federal interference.

Besides the attorney general, Batters and Sens. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu and Claude Carignan met with officials from the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection during the visit to Washington. They also met with prohibitionist advocacy group Smart Approaches to Marijuana.

Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore.

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