Gov. Wolf Asks Sessions To Back Off Medical Marijuana Penalties
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Governor Wolf is urging Attorney General Jeff Sessions to back off his efforts to penalize states pursuing or authorizing the use of medical marijuana.
Wolf says he doesn't know what's motivating Sessions to seek to overturn protections in a federal amendment relative to states implementing or operating medical marijuana programs.
"It gives patients more options and I don't for the life of me know why he would pushing this, it's not recreational marijuana," said Wolf.
Wolf says the state legislature conducted extensive hearings before passing legislation.
"It's a bi-partisan effort here in Pennsylvania and what we're trying to do is address the needs of families' children who are suffering, and for whom the medical marijuana seems to be a path that would actually relieve many of their symptoms," he said.
Including, he says, children who suffer severe seizures.
Wolf says more than half of the states in the country have passed similar legislation or already have medical marijuana operations up and running.
Wolf says his personal appeal in the letter to Sessions is made on what he calls "humanitarian grounds."