Governor Kate Brown, Alaska Governor Bill Walker, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, and Washington Governor Jay Inslee are asking federal officials to avoid unintended and harmful consequences to states by dramatically altering the current state and federal balance. Sent to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, the governors expressed their willingness to address implementation and enforcement concerns cooperatively with the federal government.
"As governors of states that have legalized marijuana in some form, we ask the Trump Administration to engage with us before embarking on any changes to regulatory and enforcement systems," reads the letter. "The balance struck by the 2013 Department of Justice Cole Memorandum has been indispensable – providing the necessary framework for state regulatory programs centered on public safety and health protections."
Governor Brown also successfully led the effort to introduce marijuana into the National Governors Association's policy positions for the first time. In an unanimous vote during the February gathering, the governors agreed to Governor Brown's insertion of language encouraging the federal government to work collaboratively with governors who are responsible for safe administration of state programs. With 28 states plus Washington D.C. having medical marijuana programs, more and more governors are realizing the public safety consequences of federal policy, especially if current policy were to be dramatically overhauled.