Donald Trump

Newsom Urges Trump to Lay Off California's Recreational Marijuana Laws

The letter comes after the White House hinted it may target recreational marijuana use, even in states that legalized it

California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom threw down the gauntlet in a letter to President Donald Trump Friday, telling him to leave his hands off of the state's marijuana laws.

The letter comes after the White House hinted it may target recreational marijuana use, even in states that legalized it.

"I do believe that you'll see greater enforcement of it," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said of recreational marijuana at a Friday press conference.

Newsom did not wait to respond and sent the letter to Trump.

"The government must not stip the legal and publicly-supported industry of its business, and hand it back to drug cartels and criminals," Newsom said in the letter. "Dealers don't card kids."

"I urge you and your administration to work in partnership with California and the other eight states that have legalized recreational marijuana," Newsom added in his letter.

In the Bay Area, Oaksterdam University professor Jeff Jones said it has recognition from the White House that marijuana has medical benefits.

"Hope there is more Congressional review around the issue of medical marijuana that could lead to rescheduling or de-scheduling medical cannabis," Jones said.

Steve DeAngelo, co-founder of Oakland medical marijuana company Harborside Health Center, sees a glimmer of hope.

"So hopefully, as the administration takes a closer look at this issue, they'll keep in mind that north of 60 percent of Americans support the legalization of cannabis," DeAngelo said.

But industry leaders said they are still waiting for an official statement from the Department of Justice about its plans for both medical and recreational consumption.

In his letter, Newsom also questioned Spicer's comments linking marijuana to opioid use. He said there is no scientific evidence supporting that claim, sentiments echoed at Harborside and Oaksterdam University.

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