Pot business imperiled

Donald Trump has declared himself the law and order candidate, which brings me to the subject of this letter. As everyone knows, Washington state legalized growing, selling and distributing marijuana by initiative just a couple of years ago. Medical marijuana was approved several years prior.

But now, with the GOP platform declaring their opposition to medical marijuana, one doesn’t need a lot of imagination to determine its stance on legalized pot. Federal law has not changed. Marijuana is still classified as a Schedule 1 drug, equal under the law with heroin. It also imposes the same penalties, prison terms, seizure of property, etc.

So what would happen to the marijuana growers, sellers and labs where state-law-abiding citizens have invested in what they consider a legal enterprise if the law and order candidate and his attorney general were to enforce federal law regarding marijuana? How would the state replace the tax revenue the sales of marijuana have produced? If enforcement of federal law took place, would the black market get a new life?

Sometimes elections have unintended consequences. If you are in the business, you had best be paying attention.

Allen Roberts

St. John, Wash.