Is Pam Bondi as Legal professional Normal Simply Jeff Periods Half 2 for the Hashish Business?

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December 7, 2024

Who’s Pam Bondi and what does her being AG imply for hashish?

Effectively people, simply after we thought we had Matt Gaetz lined up as the following Legal professional Normal of the US, the political winds shifted quicker than smoke in a hurricane. Inside hours of Gaetz withdrawing his title from consideration, Donald Trump introduced his new choose: Pam Bondi, Florida’s former Legal professional Normal.

I will be sincere with you – whereas my data of Gaetz was restricted (although his pro-cannabis stance was effectively documented), I knew even much less about Pam Bondi. As somebody who retains a detailed eye on hashish coverage and the characters who form it, this data hole wanted filling. In spite of everything, the Legal professional Normal holds important sway over federal drug coverage, and with hashish reform hanging within the stability, understanding Bondi’s stance on our favourite plant turns into essential.

So I did what any curious hashish journalist would do – I dove deep into the digital archives, combed via information reviews, and analyzed her observe document in Florida. What I discovered was… effectively, let’s simply say it is sophisticated. In contrast to Gaetz, who wore his pro-cannabis credentials on his sleeve, Bondi’s historical past with marijuana reform is extra nuanced, and at occasions, regarding for these of us who care about hashish freedom.

For individuals who do not know who Pam Bondi is (and I believe that is fairly a couple of of you), buckle up. We’re about to take a journey via her profession, her stance on hashish, and what her potential appointment would possibly imply for the way forward for marijuana reform in America. From her time as Florida’s high prosecutor to her position in Trump’s first time period, there’s fairly a bit to unpack right here.

So pack a bowl, get comfy, and let’s dive into who Pam Bondi actually is – and what her nomination might imply for the hashish neighborhood.

Let’s begin with the fundamentals – Pam Bondi served as Florida’s first feminine Legal professional Normal from 2011 to 2019, making her mark as a tough-on-crime prosecutor with practically twenty years of expertise. Throughout her tenure, she gained recognition for her aggressive stance towards prescription drug abuse and her efforts to fight the opioid disaster. Trump even tapped her to serve on his Fee on Combating Drug Dependancy and the Opioid Disaster throughout his first time period.

On the subject of hashish, nevertheless, Bondi’s document is about as clear as bong water. Again in 2014, she opposed Florida’s medical hashish modification, arguing it might make the Sunshine State “probably the most lenient medical-marijuana states.” She even tried to maintain the measure off the poll solely, although that effort failed. Quick ahead to 2018, and we discover her defending Florida’s ban on smokable medical hashish, claiming smoking was “antithetical to good drugs.”

However this is the place issues get attention-grabbing. Regardless of her earlier opposition, Bondi remained notably quiet throughout Florida’s profitable 2016 medical hashish modification, which handed with a whopping 71% of the vote. This implies she is likely to be extra pragmatic than ideological in the case of hashish coverage.

Her work preventing the fentanyl disaster might really bode effectively for the hashish neighborhood. In contrast to some hardline drug warriors, Bondi appears to grasp the significance of regulated markets in lowering hurt. As Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers (who is aware of a factor or two about Florida hashish politics) identified, Bondi’s expertise shutting down tablet mills and advocating for protected, regulated markets might translate right into a extra nuanced method to hashish coverage.

Beneath a Trump presidency, Bondi might doubtlessly align together with his lately said assist for hashish banking reform and federal rescheduling. Trump has signaled his intention to work with Congress on “common sense” hashish legal guidelines, and having an AG who understands regulated markets might assist advance these targets.

Nonetheless, there’s additionally cause for concern. Bondi’s earlier opposition to medical hashish and her involvement with Trump’s opioid fee (which expressed issues about marijuana legalization) recommend she may not be the strongest advocate for reform. In contrast to Matt Gaetz, who had a transparent pro-cannabis document, Bondi’s place stays one thing of a thriller.

The fact is, Bondi is not going to be one other Matt Gaetz in the case of hashish coverage. Whereas Gaetz was an outspoken supporter of legalization, voting twice for Democratic-led hashish reform payments, Bondi’s method is more likely to be extra measured and fewer predictable.

What we’re actually taking a look at right here is somebody who appears to observe the political winds quite than charging forward with a hard and fast ideology. If Trump maintains his present cannabis-friendly stance, Bondi would possibly effectively fall in line. But when the winds shift… effectively, let’s simply say we’ll have to hold a detailed eye on which manner this smoke blows.

You understand what retains me up at evening lately? The more and more actual chance that the Republican Get together would possibly simply pull off the most important plot twist in hashish historical past by turning into the occasion of legalization. Whereas there isn’t any smoking gun proof of this occurring but, the political tea leaves are beginning to type an attention-grabbing sample.

Let’s contemplate the items on this chess board. Trump has already promised to nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as head of Well being and Human Companies – a transfer that might considerably impression hashish coverage. Kennedy, regardless of his controversial positions on different issues, has persistently supported hashish reform and understands its medical advantages. That is one attention-grabbing piece in play.

Then there’s Trump himself, who’s been making surprisingly cannabis-friendly noises on the marketing campaign path. He is speaking about “widespread sense” hashish legal guidelines, banking reform, and respecting states’ rights. That is a far cry from the “Simply Say No” period of Republican drug coverage.

This is what actually retains me questioning – what if the Republicans are enjoying the lengthy recreation right here? Democrats have been making an attempt to legalize hashish for years, with blended success at greatest. They’ve launched payments, made guarantees, and but federal prohibition stays firmly in place. What if Republicans, seeing a chance to make historical past (and win some votes), resolve to comb in with a complete legalization plan that addresses all of the issues which have held up earlier efforts?

I’ve mentioned it earlier than, and I will say it once more – if somebody comes ahead with a well-crafted, thorough method to legalization that addresses every part from banking to interstate commerce to social fairness, Republicans would possibly simply get on board. They’ve proven they are often pragmatic when it fits their pursuits, and the political advantages of being the occasion that ended federal prohibition might be substantial.

In fact, we’re nonetheless coping with a whole lot of “ifs” and “maybes” right here. The appointment of Pam Bondi as AG provides one other layer of uncertainty to this equation. However this is what we do know – Trump’s administration is not displaying indicators of eager to crack down on hashish. The truth is, they’re speaking about increasing entry to banking providers and implementing affordable laws. That is one thing the trade can work with.

For now, it appears the hashish trade is not dealing with an existential menace from a second Trump time period. If something, we would see some important progress, notably on the banking entrance. And who is aware of? Perhaps, simply perhaps, the Republicans will resolve to make historical past and grow to be the unlikely champions of federal legalization.

Unusual issues have occurred in politics, people. And whereas I am not betting my final gram on it occurring, I would not be solely shocked if the GOP decides to grab this victory from the Democrats’ arms. In spite of everything, politics makes for unusual smoking buddies typically.

Effectively people, if there’s one silver lining in all of this, it is that we’re not getting one other Jeff Periods as Legal professional Normal. Keep in mind him? The man who thought “good individuals do not smoke marijuana”? Yeah, these had been some nerve-wracking occasions for the hashish trade.

As a substitute, we’re getting Pam Bondi – somebody who, whereas not precisely a champion of hashish reform, at the very least appears to grasp the significance of regulated markets. The hashish trade ought to stay comparatively steady underneath her watch, and I’ve obtained a sneaking suspicion we would see some important reforms within the coming years.

Now, how in depth these reforms shall be is anybody’s guess. The Biden administration’s push for Schedule III rescheduling? That is in all probability useless within the water. Regardless of some Democrats urging Biden to flex his govt order muscle tissues in these closing months, I doubt we’ll see any last-minute hashish reform miracles. Let’s be actual – the Democrats took a beating on this election, they usually’ll have to do some severe soul-searching earlier than 2028 if they need one other shot on the White Home.

As for Bondi herself, she stays one thing of an enigma in the case of hashish coverage. Like a political weathervane, she appears to shift with the prevailing winds. If Trump maintains his “widespread sense” method to hashish reform, she’ll probably observe go well with. If he modifies course… effectively, that is a unique story.

What we’re taking a look at here’s a interval of uncertainty, but additionally alternative. The hashish trade has survived and thrived via far worse than a Bondi Justice Division. With Republicans doubtlessly eyeing hashish reform as their subsequent large transfer and Trump speaking about banking reform, we would simply see some attention-grabbing developments within the subsequent 4 years.

For now, although, we’ll have to attend and see which manner the political winds blow. As all the time within the hashish world, we’ll hold rolling with the modifications and hope for the very best. Keep tuned, people – this experience’s removed from over.

Sources:

https://natlawreview.com/article/gaetz-out-possible-attorney

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https://www.marijuanamoment.web/trumps-new-attorney-genera

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