President Donald Trump has had a profound impact on many areas of the government - from military spending to immigration. When it comes to the cannabis industry, Trump’s talk has been materially different than his actions. He seems to support states’ rights and medical marijuana in speeches, but the appointment of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General and Tom Price to head the FDA could pose some problems for the young industry.

In this article, we will take a look at three ways that the Trump Administration could impact the cannabis industry over the coming four years.

#1: He Will Likely Respect States’ Rights

Trump can be classified as a populist more than a Republican, which is good news for the legal cannabis industry. According to a new Quinnipiac poll, 71% of Americans would oppose a federal crackdown on legal marijuana and 93% are in favor of medical marijuana. The majority of support comes from Democrats, but even Republicans believe that there are more pressing concerns that the government should concern itself with than marijuana.

The Republican response has been to support states’ rights rather than trying to take a moral high ground. For example, Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher’s proposed Respect State Marijuana Laws Act would exempt marijuana consumers and businesses from federal criminal penalties if they are acting in compliance with state marijuana laws. Many other Republicans have taken a similar tone in the debate about marijuana legalization.

#2: He Will Keep Federal Barriers in Place

Trump’s appointment of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General of the United States was a clear setback for the cannabis industry. In fact, Sessions was once quoted as saying that the KKK were “okay until I found out they smoked pot” and that “good people don’t smoke marijuana”. These comments have made it clear that the federal government probably won’t take actions to ease industry concerns like banking or open the door to federal-level legalization.

At the same time, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer suggested that the federal government would strictly enforce federal laws governing cannabis. “Expect increased enforcement in those eight states where [recreational marijuana] has been legalized,” said Spicer to reporters during a White House briefing. Many Republicans have criticized the remarks, but it does indicate federal hostility towards the drug.

#3: He May Open the Door to Medical Marijuana

Trump’s stance on medical marijuana has been a bit controversial. In the past, he has been a strong advocate for the medical use of marijuana. The president’s populist nature would also seem to support medical marijuana given the 90%+ support by the American public. But, his appointment of Tom Price to lead the Food & Drug Administration could be a setback given Mr. Price’s strong opposition to the cannabis industry and medical marijuana.

These conflicting views suggest that the government may be supportive of cannabinoid-related pharmaceuticals and other clinically-focused drugs, but perhaps not so supportive of smokable medical marijuana that has developed a negative reputation over the years. Currently, the FDA and DEA still consider marijuana to be a Schedule I controlled substance with no proven medical benefits - a claim that has become increasingly difficult to support.

The Bottom Line

President Donald Trump has had a profound impact on many areas of the government and the cannabis industry is no exception. While he has been supportive of medical marijuana and states’ rights, the appointment of Jeff Sessions and Tom Price could create some problems for the industry over the coming years. The good news is that broad support for marijuana among the public will make any actions to curb the movement politically difficult.