Jeff Sessions Use to Support Death Penalty for Marijuana Dealers

Jeff Sessions Use to Support Death Penalty for Marijuana Dealers

President Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Jeff Sessions, has drawn widespread criticism, especially in the cannabis community. And for good reason: He once said he thought the KKK was “okay” until he learned they smoked marijuana, and he said not long ago that good people don’t use it.

What many people don’t realize, is that Sessions’ history on cannabis and drugs is much worse than that. In fact, just 20 years ago he was a public supporter of the death penalty for those caught dealing drugs twice, including marijuana.

Per The Conversation:

In 1996, when serving as Alabama’s attorney general, he promoted H.B. 242, S.B. 291, a state bill to establish mandatory death sentences for a second drug trafficking conviction, including for dealing marijuana.

The drug bill was advertised as targeting “kingpins,” but to qualify for execution, the defendant merely needed to lead a group of five people and make the minimum wage in drug proceeds. Alabama’s minimum wage was $4.25 per hour in 1996.

This is just one of many reasons why proponents of cannabis – and basic human rights – should vehemently oppose Sessions nomination (although it unfortunately may not matter, as a rejection of his nomination seems unlikely).