Chronicle AM: Trump Stays States' Rights on Pot, Massive DEA Florida Opioid Bust, More… (9/3/19)

The president reiterates his states' rights approach to marijuana legalization, the DEA goes massively after opioids in a Florida operation, Thailand okays hemp and cannabis extracts, and more. 

Marijuana Policy

President Trump Says Marijuana Legalization Up to States. Reiterating a stance he has held since the 2016 presidential campaign, President Donald Trump last Friday said the White House would not interfere with state-level legalization efforts. "We’re going to see what’s going on. It’s a very big subject and right now we are allowing states to make that decision. A lot of states are making that decision, but we’re allowing states to make that decision," he said in response to a reporter's question.

Minnesota Democrats Begin Legalization Push. Using the state fair in St. Paul as a venue, state Democratic leaders vowed to legalize marijuana next year and announced a series of town halls across the state to see what Minnesotans think about the issue. "We believe that Minnesota can have the best marijuana laws in the country," said House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (D-Golden Valley), who handed out blue cowbells inscribed with the words “Be Heard on Cannabis” to fairgoers. "We think it’s vitally important that Minnesotans weigh in directly on this policy change."

Law Enforcement

DEA Arrests 300 in Massive Florida Opioid Operation. In an enforcement operation late last week named "Operation Cazador," DEA agents in Florida arrested nearly 300 people, seized roughly 200,000 opioid pills and about $3.3 million in assets, and shut down a dozen pharmacies. The operation included roughly 50 search warrants on pharmacies, 25 interviews with physicians, and interdiction of a small number of UPS and FedEx packages.

International

Thailand Removes Marijuana Extracts from Narcotics List. Thailand has removed marijuana and hemp extracts, such as CBD, from its list of controlled substances, officials said Monday. The move is seen as an effort to promote the development of marijuana products for medicinal purposes. Medical use and research was legalized last year.