Dear Pot Lawyer,
I heard we’re getting a new federal drug czar. So… just how terrible is he?
Pretty terrible. The new drug czar is a guy named Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA) and you can expect his appointment any day now. Marino’s official title will be “Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy” (ONDCP) but everyone will just call him “drug czar.” This is a stellar appellation Joe Biden dreamed up for the position in the early ’80s.
The drug czar’s job is to coordinate domestic and international anti-drug efforts and advise President Trump. As it relates to weed, the substance of that advice will be all anti-cannabis, all the time, in line with Marino’s personal views. I infer this because unlike many Republicans, Marino voted against the Rohrabacher-Farr amendments, which prohibit the Department of Justice from using federal funds to prosecute state-compliant medical marijuana actors. Marino also voted against allowing Veterans Affairs doctors to recommend medical cannabis to patients. And he opposed measures to ease federal restrictions on hemp and cannabidiol (CBD).
You thought I was done. Here’s my least favorite thing about the new drug czar.