U.S. attorney for Wyoming says detrimental effects of marijuana are ‘undeniable’ and he will ‘rigorously’ enforce the law
National Park rangers will start “rigorously” enforcing statutes outlawing simple possession of marijuana in Wyoming’s federal reserves, reversing a Biden-era policy, Wyoming’s U.S. Attorney Darin Smith announced Thursday.
“Marijuana possession remains a federal crime in the United States, irrespective of varying state laws,” Smith said in a statement. Enforcement will be rigorous on federal land, “such as national parks,” Smith’s statement reads.
Cannabis carries dangers, he told WyoFile through a spokesperson.
“This administration thinks that marijuana use is a public safety hazard and this office is going to uphold the law and ensure safety and security of the public within our jurisdiction,” Smith said.
The announcement harshed the mellow of several marijuana users who told WyoFile they have enjoyed smoking pot while visiting the parks. One said she would continue to partake.
“I definitely think it’s absurd,” said Alice Wise, who asked WyoFile to identify her with that pseudonym for fear of prosecution or harassment. She said smoking marijuana in national parks has enhanced her experiences.
“Nothing would stop me,” not even the new directive, the Wyoming resident said.
A memo from the Department of Justice last month prompted Attorney Smith’s announcement, said Lori Hogan, a spokesperson for his office. The new enforcement reverses an effective non-prosecution policy put in place by President Biden in 2022.
Biden’s pardon
On Oct. 6 of that year, Biden pardoned people convicted or charged federally with simple possession. The pardons applied to more than 6,000 people, according to an analysis by Theodore M. Shaw, a law professor at the University of North Carolina’s Center for Civil Rights.
The pardons effectively decriminalized simple possession or use of marijuana on federal lands, according to a commentary by John Hudak on the Brookings Institution website. Even if a federal prosecutor in the Biden administration had chosen to charge somebody for simple possession, “it would be a waste of his department’s time and resources to pursue charges that a president will ultimately pardon,” Hudak wrote.
What effect the new DOJ prosecution policy will have on illicit pot smoking in parks is uncertain.
“National Parks are reserved for recreation, for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people,” said a Jackson Hole marijuana user who asked to be identified by the pseudonym John Dough for fear of prosecution or harassment. “Why add more restrictions to our public lands?”
This article was republished from WyoFile under under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. You can read the original version here.
