A group of 20 Republican U.S. Senators, led by Texas Senator Ted Cruz, issued a letter to the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, urging them to “classify the abortion pill as an ‘imminent hazard to the public health’ that poses a ‘significant threat of danger’ and remove this pill from the U.S. market.”
The letter, which was released exclusively to National Review, comes in response to a recent ruling by a Maryland federal judge which temporarily suspended FDA rules regulating the chemical-abortion pill known as RU-486 or Mifeprex.
FDA safety protocols require that the chemical-abortion pill be prescribed by a healthcare professional in-person. Abortion advocates are arguing that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, these regulations are a burden on a woman’s right to obtain an abortion.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, represented by lawyers from the ACLU, sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the FDA in May to challenge the in-person rules.
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang temporarily suspended the FDA’s abortion pill safety protocols in his 80-page decision.
Chuang’s ruling would allow for chemical-abortion pills to be mailed to patients during the pandemic, rather than prescribed in-person in order to 1) obtain an abortion in a timely manner, and 2) to protect a woman from exposing herself to COVID-19 by entering a clinic or a hospital.
“Particularly in light of the limited timeframe during which a medication abortion or any abortion must occur,” Chuang wrote, “such infringement on the right to an abortion would constitute irreparable harm.”
The letter from GOP Senators called the COVID-19 exception to the FDA’s regulations “a ruse” in a pro-abortion effort to expand abortion access beyond the boundaries of safety.
“We believe this rogue judicial activism is a gross breach of the separation of powers,” the letter reads, “undermining the FDA’s statutory authority to ensure drug safety, while recklessly endangering American women and children.”
The letter calls the FDA’s approval process of the pill back in 2000 under the Clinton administration a rushed effort that “should never have happened.”
“…pregnancy is not a life-threatening illness” that warranted a rushed approval process, they argue, “and the abortion pill does not cure or prevent any disease.”
The letter calls the FDA to hold fast to their regulations, citing the dangers that the pill poses to women.
According to the letter, the abortion pill is a greater health risk than surgical abortions during the early stages of pregnancy, and claims that 5-7% of women have had to endure follow-up surgical abortions due to a failure of the abortion pill.
The FDA’s requirement for in-person care by a health professional is a necessary standard to ensure that women obtain their abortion without any unnecessary complications.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life organization Susan B. Anthony list, called the FDA regulations “reasonable and necessary to protect women from serious and potentially life-threatening complications of abortion drugs, including intense pain, heavy bleeding, infection, and even death.”
The chemical-abortion pill has been used by over 4 million women in the U.S., and in 2017, it made up for 39% of all U.S. abortions.
President Donald J. Trump is narrowing the race against Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biddenthe former Vice President under former President Barack Obama, in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania after picking up support in the past month, according to a Monmouth University Poll.
The new poll found Biden ahead by 4 points among registered voters, with 49 percent support. “Among likely voters, the race is a tight 1 to 3 points, depending on the expected turnout level,” according to a press release.
In July Monmouth also warned of a secret Trump vote. “The media consistently reports that Biden is in the lead, but voters remember what happened in 2016. The specter of a secret Trump vote looms large in 2020,” said Murray.
Trump’s boost was driven by rising support among men, voters under 50 and suburban residents.
The fight over white suburban women has heated up this summer as well, with Trump showing traction.
Trump accused Joe Biden of “abandoning Pennsylvania” during a rally just miles from Biden’s hometown of Scranton in right before Bidden spoke to the Democratic National Convention.
The New York Post reported, “Describing Biden as “slow Joe,” the president fired a preemptive strike ahead of Biden’s virtual DNC speech on Thursday evening and tried to discredit the former veep’s story of growing up poor in Scranton before a crowd in the battleground state.”
“He’ll remind us he was born in Scranton, but he left a long time ago — like 70 years ago,” Trump said during an event at in Old Forge, Pa. — reminding the audience that Biden and his family moved to Delaware when he was aged 10.
Biden is on defense, having to explain that he is not really a socialist, even though his platform is the socialist Bernie Sanders plan.
NEW: "Do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters?” Biden, 77, said. “Really?" His advisers debated a trip to WI; his allies urged Biden to get out more. On Monday, he headed to PA, pinning blame for unrest on the man in the White Househttps://t.co/T3ZSg5gmDl
Townhall wrote, Tuesday,” The people in Wilkes-Barre may not all love the president, but they don’t think Biden is the answer. And they’re pissed off that the riots and looting are happening in Democrat-controlled cities.”
Biden is losing ground in PA on fracking as well, with Trump forcing him to come out of the basement and defend himself. Biden had not planned on Campaigning in person until after the Labor Day Weekend, Jill Biden, his wife announced last week, but now Biden will have campaign events in PA later in the week.
Watch Biden respond to a Trump supporter who was calling to him about fracking, an important issue in PA.
Vice President Pence said, Tuesday, “Yesterday, Joe Biden said -I am not banning fracking.. Perhaps he’s forgotten his own words. At one of his rallies, he told a supporter: “I guarantee, I guarantee, we are going to end fossil fuels.” Joe, that includes fracking.”
A large gathering of Christians in Washington Square Park in New York City prayed for protection over the NYPD officers surveying the event on Saturday.
The event was hosted by Sean Feucht – a California-based worship leader who has been holding “Let Us Worship” events across the nation since July. In a Twitter post, he wrote that during the event, they felt led “to pray and read scripture over the NYPD officers”.
“Father, we pray for protection,” a man in the video prayed over the officers. “We pray for the love of God. We pray for the mercy of God. Lord, we pray for this nation. Lord, where there’s tension with the officers and the people, that you would tear down those walls…”
Feucht began hosting “Let Us Worship” events in July after California Governor Gavin Newsom banned singing at indoor worship services as a COVID-19 preventative. Several churches in California have filed lawsuits against the Governor for the ban and for continuing to prevent churches from meeting in-person, arguing it is an infringement on their First Amendment rights granted by the Constitution.
What initially began as an initiative in California has expanded into the Northwest states and to the East coast. The “Let Us Worship” events have gathered hundreds of Christians at once in key cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle.
The events are being tagged “Riots to Revival.” At the same time Feucht has been leading hundreds of Christians in peaceful gatherings of prayer and worship, protestors and rioters have caused great damage to cities nationwide. Seeing the destruction and chaos that this summer has wreaked on America’s cities, Feucht began using these events to call the locals of cities together in unity, to pray and worship over their cities to combat the current violence.
A prayer of protection over NYPD officers on Saturday night is a direct reflection of how Christians at these events have been responding to the current cultural discord – with a spirit of hope, reconciliation, and love.
The gathering in Washington Square saw a diverse crowd of people worshipping together in peace. There were salvations and re-dedications to Christ, and people were baptized in the fountain.
“The spirit of revival crashed into the heart of NYC!” wrote Sean Feucht in a Facebook post, accompanied by an artistic video of the entire event. “Salvations broke forth, deliverance from oppression and fear and suicide, prayer with the NYPD officers, dozens of baptisms in the iconic fountain and just SOO. MUCH. JOY.”
#LetUsWorship – NEW YORK CITY – The garment of PRAISE for the spirit of heaviness!!The spirit of revival crashed into…
Feucht will continue traveling the nation hosting these events, with upcoming stops in Washington State, Oregon, California, and Colorado before he continues to Midwest states.
Following their fourth failed attempt last Tuesday to force Christians from peaceably gathering together for worship services, Los Angeles County issued a letter to Grace Community Church evicting them from a portion of their parking lot.
“…the District is exercising its right to terminate the Agreement by giving a minimum of 30-day written notice of intention to terminate,” the letter dated August 28th reads.
The letter does not indicate any reason for the County’s decision to terminate its 45-year-long lease with the church. It only cites the right of LA County Flood Control District to terminate the lease at any time.
The termination will go into effect on October 1st, by which time Grace Community Church must have removed all personal property.
Grace Community Church, led by Pastor John MacArthur, has been in legal battles with the County of Los Angeles since July when the church re-opened its doors to congregants in violation of continued COVID-19 shutdowns.
The church had voluntarily shut down to protect their congregants and the Los Angeles community from the coronavirus pandemic in March, and remained closed through the first half of July. During that time, the church engaged in community outreach, such as providing groceries to hungry families, continuing its prison ministry, and even assisting the city during summer protests. The church has received awards for their efforts in the community.
On July 23rd, the board of elders at Grace Community Church voted unanimously to reopen the church. Shortly afterward, they received a letter from the County threatening fines of up to $1,000 and imprisonment of up to 30 days if they did not cease their meetings.
MacArthur and his board of elders stood their ground, arguing that the government has no authority to trample the First Amendment rights of the church to assemble. The church issued a statement defending this belief:
“…when any government official issues orders regulating worship (such as bans on singing, caps on attendance, or prohibitions against gatherings and services), he steps outside the legitimate bounds of his God-ordained authority as a civic official…”
The county has argued that their mandates on attendance numbers and even bans on singing indoors are all in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and that the health of the county reigns supreme above the church’s right to meet together.
Last Tuesday, the battle went to the California Superior Court, where Los Angeles County was seeking a temporary restraining order against Grace Community Church. In a 5-page opinion, Judge Mitchell Beckloff denied the County’s request, concluding that the application did not meet statutory requirements.
Pastor MacArthur was thankful to Judge Beckloff for the decision, and called the county’s actions “an illegitimate misuse of power.”
“It should shock the conscience of every Christian that churches are coming under assault from our own government simply for holding church,” MacArthur stated. “Church is essential.”
For an eviction of the church from property leased for 45 years to follow on the heels of this ruling, without any separate cause being cited, raises red flags.
Jenna Ellis, Special Counsel to Thomas More Society (the law firm representing Grace Community Church), called the eviction a measure of retaliation. She defended the church’s actions in continuing to meet together as a “constitutionally protected right.”
“In America, we have a judicial system to ensure that the executive branch does not abuse its power, and Grace Community Church has every right to be heard without fear or reprisal,” she said.
“The Church has peacefully held this lease for 45 years and the only reason the County is attempting eviction is because John MacArthur stood up to their unconstitutional power grab. This is harassment, abusive, and unconscionable.”
The next hearing for the church and the county is scheduled for September 4th in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Remember when Charlottesville happened and the Democrats and liberal media condemned the actions of the man driving the vehicle and said that right wing groups were dangerous?
Where are the Democrats and left-wing outrage now? Every single night left-wing groups and Democrat supporters take to the streets of Democrat ran cities and cause chaos. They have killed police officers, innocent bystanders and now they are celebrating the killing of Trump supporters.
Where is the outrage?
The Portland Mayor is just one Democrat that has failed to address this violence coming from the leftist groups head on. He has the power and the means yet he has refused to stop it. Several times throughout last week, President Trump has mentioned Portland on Twitter, advising the city to accept federal assistance after nearly 90 days of protests. The mayor responded with a letter saying “We don’t need your politics of division and demagoguery.”
Isn’t this letter divisive? And then he posts it on his Twitter boasting his refusal for help from the President. The president was putting aside his feelings about the liberal mayor and offered help so the citizens of Portland don’t have to continue suffering through this terrorism.
On CNN yesterday Adam Schiff said Trump is “willfully fanning the flames” of violence amid clashes between protesters and counterprotesters over police brutality.
“The president is willfully fanning the flames of this fire,” Schiff said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“They believe this is helpful to him,” Schiff said, referring to Trump’s allies.
“The president is only motivated by one thing: what is in it for him. He sees this violence and his ability to agitate more of it as useful to this campaign. What it does to the country, the loss of life, he doesn’t care,” Schiff added.
President Trump has said that the violence is unnecessary and can be stopped. When Schiff refers to Trump believing that the violence is helpful to him, Trump means that it shows that the left is perpetuating the violence by not condemning or it stopping it and that makes them look bad. Trump has repeatedly said that all this violence is in Democrat ran cities and states. And by supporting these Democrat politicians voters are supporting chaos and not law and order.
Presidential Candidate Biden plans on blaming all this violence on Trump during a speech he is going to give in Pittsburgh. Biden recently said, “He may believe mouthing the words law and order makes him strong, but his failure to call on his own supporters to stop acting as an armed militia in this country shows you how weak he is,” Biden said.
Yet at the DNC the Democrats refused to address the violence happening in Democrat-run cities. And the Democrats refuse to condemn the killings of police officers and Trump supporters. They have refused to address their militia groups like BLM, Antifa, and violent leftist protesters. These groups have destroyed thousands of businesses, cities, took neighborhoods hostage, locked police officers in stations and had gas outside ready to set them on fire, they have beat up white people for simply walking by, and have threatened the life of our president.
It’s hard to believe that America is watching the damage the Democrats and their groups have caused and still believe that President Trump is the problem.
The Democrat party has two topics they believe are going to save Democrat candidate Joe Bidden from losing in November. One is a Global Pandemic and the other is Russia! Russia! Russia!, so it is expected that on the same day the Trump administration comes out with full-throated defense of their position that China is our big problem, not Russia, the New York Times would have an article from an author saying the opposite.
How long have people at the Times known about this and did they sit on the story for the sake of Schmidt's book?
Sunday morning political shows on Maria Bartiromo had two top Intel leaders for the Trump administration made the case that leaking from Democrat members of the US House and Senate was so bad and so twisted to misrepresent national security threats from Russia, that they had to come out and establish that no, China was a major threat, and Democrats were politicizing Intel briefings.
So it is almost to be expected that outcomes an article from the New York Times, and subsequent posts from left-leaning activists and Community Organizers repeating that the United States is in danger from Russia, because of Trump.
Here is an excerpt from a new book that pushes people to not give up on the Russia hoax yet, because the author has discovered a new angle- financial connections were not investigated in the Russiagate hoax, so they want a do-over.
EXCLUSIVE: From my new book .. DOJ in '17 secretly curtailed FBI counterintel investigation of Trump financial/personal ties to Russia. DOJ concealed this from FBI at time, leaving FBI w/ impression Mueller would do it. But Mueller ultimately didn't. https://t.co/mEBFCdqIP1
And they have found an escape goat to blame it all on; Former US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
Following this Twitter author explain how it is the left has come to now hate Rosenstein:
BREAKING NEWS: In 2017, Rod Rosenstein Secretly Blocked Bribery and Counterintelligence Inquiries Into Trump Business Dealings in Russia; Result of Rosenstein's Actions Was Mueller's Probe of a Hacking Conspiracy No One Had Alleged, and No Probe of a Course of Bribery Many Had https://t.co/J2LVtn9NCQ
The left, never letting an opportunity to push for their agenda go to waste, has refused to let their dreams of convicting President Trump and all of his friends of collusion with Russia go by the wayside, so they are going to attempt to resurrect the drama in time for the 2020 election.
Abramson, an Attorney and another NYT Bestselling author is very excited about the possibility that his own books are correct, its a god time to pick some up, and that Trump is indeed guilty of colluding with Russia to cheat Hillary Clinton out of a victory in 2016, and he has a new kicking post over it, Rosenstein.
PS2/ I spent years talking about Trump's bribery—and the counterintelligence threat posed by that bribery—and the fact that no investigation was forthcoming on it made me look like I was in left field. Now we know an investigation everyone thought should happen was being blocked.
It was obvious crimes that no one would investigate, according to Abramson has a new theory to sell, and more books to offer. The new Rosenstein series should be out soon.
NOTE/ I understand people will snicker to see me say it, but today's breaking news underscores why the Proof series exists—and why it needed to exist. In the absence of the federal investigation that should have occurred, I wrote a trilogy of books that aimed to do the same work.
The left is angry with Rosenstein enough to have grassroots marketing platforms and social media influencers gather Sunday and post like crazy about this story and the outrage it brings to the left who are convinced that Hillary Clinton really won in 2016.
🚨Rod Rosenstein quashed DOJ efforts – including the Mueller investigation – from looking into Trump’s finances, including his ties to Russia. 🚨
News of the book got reviews from Blue Check marks in all left leaning media.
"@nytmike Schmidt has written a masterful and alarming account of ‘the struggle to stop a president’. My review of Donald Trump v. United States. https://t.co/i4cTbf4szJ
We sent Michael Schmidt when he started writing his book, and did not receive an answer. It would be interesting if it was sometime around – oh say… June… after they heard from Rosenstein about the crazy and fake pee pee dossier?’
Democrats are up in arms and making a huge public spectacle to discredit the administration of President Donald J. Trump over the announcement that Director of National Intelligence (DNI), John Radcliffe will make a change in a procedure before the Nov General election, and apparently provide intel briefings to both the Republican and Democrat campaigns in writing and not in person.
“It all goes back to an Intel briefing on July 31st,” Maria Bartiromo teased out Sunday morning moments before her anticipated interview.
An interview of Ratcliff was promoted for Sunday morning, many people expected the purpose was to explain details of the announcement, but the media and Democrat leadership couldn’t wait to discredit Trump on the talk shows and on social media all afternoon and evening Saturday.
In fact the interview of Ratcliffe had been promoted before well before the announcement, altering people to just wait a little bit for the story:
An ODNI official said Saturday the move to providing “primarily” written briefings is “in the interest of clarity and protecting sensitive intelligence from unauthorized disclosures,” which ODNI said occurred “following recent briefings to Congress.”
CBS News reported it wasn’t exactly clear as of Saturday evening, by posting, “This official would not confirm whether political campaigns would continue to receive in-person updates from ODNI, and was not aware of any discussion of virtual updates. ODNI referred to DOJ and FBI to confirm whether their briefings would continue to be delivered in person.”
However, unable to wait for details, there was immediate, rage-filled responses from Democrat leaders US House member Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi, alarming the Democrat machine and their media allies that this would be a story to keep abreast of for possible demands and cries of injustice.
ZeroHedge covered the outburst:
Outstanding: House Dems are livid after DNI John Ratcliffe announced that US intel agencies will be pulling the plug on in-person “manipulated” congressional briefings on election security, and will instead be providing written updates ahead of November. https://t.co/tygjPj8K8n
Trump had trolled them earlier in the day at an event talking about Hurricane Laura, and he had talked about the leaks from classified information when reacting to Ratcliffe’s announcement.
Probably Shifty Schiff, but others also, LEAK information to the Fake News. No matter what or who it is about, including China, these deranged lowlifes like the Russia, Russia, Russia narrative. Plays better for them. @DNI_Ratcliffe doing a great job! https://t.co/44bRm8NFbB
The left and their Democrat/Media/ Tech allies were able to get a Hash Tag going “Do Something” quickly after the announcements.
Looking to #DoSomething? Report DNI Ratcliffe to the Inspector General for refusing to brief Congress about Russia according to the National Security Act. Here's how. https://t.co/tAPYPFRa4z
CNN has obtained the many letters to congressional leaders from DNI Ratcliffe notifying them that “the ODNI will primarily meet its obligation to keep Congress fully and currently informed” about election interference “through written finished intelligence products.” Here’s one: pic.twitter.com/UxL7ZcgwTr
Twitter promoted a story that read,”According to CNN and CBS, the ODNI informed congressional intelligence committees that it will cease to provide in-person briefings on foreign interference with the 2020 elections that were originally proposed for mid-September,. Instead, it will now provide briefings in writing.”
Here is the story behind the announcement from Maria Bartiromo Show Sunday:
“Radcliffe was one of only two GOP leaders who saw all underacted documents in the investigations of Russian collisions,” Bartiromo said.
Ratcliffe said, “I gave a briefing to all of Congress about Russia and China and then we saw headlines the next day based on what I said, but twisted. I was doing more than asked and briefed everyone.”
“When I went thru confirmation I said I was going to always follow the law and do everything to protect the information, and the action I took, with limiting briefings, was consistent with that.
“I will inform congress, but we are not going to do a repeat of what has happened before, I did more to brief all congress than others, and all I asked them was to keep it quiet- and a number of congress members went directly to a number of press outlets to leak what I said- and it was untrue what they said- China is more of a threat than Russia, but those members of congress were trying to keep their narrative going,” he said.
“So I am going to keep my promise,”he said.
Bartiromo said, ” we had 126 leaks in 126 days.
“I see more intel than the president, and I see it every day- I am saying China is our greatest danger- day in and day out China is greater, anyone saying anything other than that is politicizing for their own narrative,” Ratcliffe said.
“China is the biggest threat to American superiority, and they are supporting Biden because the President has been tough of China, Ratcliffe said.
“We will do what is required by law and those members who are legally entitled to be briefed, will get them, what we wont do is all members of house and senate. We tried that adt the info was not protected. We will do what we did before, Congress will be fully briefed by law, we will do what we are suppose to do, and we are going to protect info from being leaked. I wont stand for it anymore,” Ratcliffe said.
“There are crimes reports and there are investigations into leaks”, Ratcliffe said. “This is one of the things that is very serious. We intend to go after people who leak.”
So in other words, the left exposed themselves for being leakers. That is what happened.
Richard Grenell, the acting Director of National Intelligence for President Donald J. Trump, was on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, and talked about the importance of understanding the threat America faces from China, from rouge reporters who published manipulated leaked information, and from US House Representatives like Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff.
Directly after a bold interview where Grenell calls out the danger of leaks from “The Hill” to bad media, he called out Jake Tapper on Twitter for diminishing the threat America faces from China.
Why is Jake Tapper pushing Russia distractions from Biden when China is the current crisis, the entire intel community is focused on China’s threat and China prefers Biden? https://t.co/iN8iQumMWg
Grenell spoke to Bartiromo and said talked about understand the threats American faces, and about being homosexual.
ON BEING GAY
“Trump doesn’t care that I am gay,” Grenell said.
ON CHINA AND THE RUSSIA THREATS:
“I had career intelligence officers come to me and tell me they didn’t want to brief Congress anymore because they twist around what they hear, that they [Congress] manipulates and leak out things they hear with partial information and are ruining people’s careers. This has happened on more than one occasion, so think about that. Career intelligence officials are saying that they don’t want to brief the Hill because the Hill and Congress is politicizing their work,”Richard Grenell told Maria Bartiromo, on Sunday.
“The overwhelming number of Career Intelligence officials want to keep the government secrets and work for the government and work for whoever is helping the President. They are not out to get people. However, we have some bad apples who are either current or former officials who are leaking partial information to cheerleading reporters and so what DNI Ratcliffe is doing is trying to solve the leaks. We don’t have a very good intelligence system. And remember that intelligence is an estimate. We do not have a very good intelligence system if people leak partial information for politics. And we are in this situation now where Adam Schiff , Nancy Pelosi and reporters like Jake Tapper push these narratives out that say, Russia Russia Russia,” Grenell said.
“Russia is about Propaganda, and that is what they have been pushing from the very beginning. And everyone should be clear that Russia manipulates information and pushes propaganda. Everyone should be clear that Russia manipulates information. The Chinese are on a completely different level. We have a crisis with the Russian disinformation campaign but the current crisis and situation that we are dealing with that is incredibly serious is the Chinese threat. It is a much higher threat and so what John Ratcliffe is trying to do is solve that problem. I applaud that work,”Grenell said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 793 on Friday, banning the sale of most flavored tobacco products.
The California Senate voted in unanimous favor of the bill, which would make it illegal for retailers to sell most flavored tobacco products (though, it remains legal to possess). Retailers who violate the law could be fined up to $250, but they would not be held criminally responsible.
Senator Jerry Hill authored the bill to “protect the health and well-being of our kids.” It is argued that flavored tobacco products specifically entice those under the age of 21, so its ban has been celebrated by many as a great protection of our younger population against nicotine addiction.
Gratitude to all who fought so hard to protect ALL of California’s kids from ALL flavored tobacco products and the predatory behavior of Big Tobacco! A fitting legacy for the retiring Senator Jerry Hill! On to @GavinNewsom to become law! @CAFightsFlavorshttps://t.co/tGarjWSfTt
Newsom called the ban “a victory for public health in CA” on Twitter and praised the efforts made to push the legislation through.
NEW: California has banned flavored tobacco.#SB793 is a victory for public health in CA. Thank you to Sen. Hill for his leadership, and all the doctors, dentists, and public health advocates who persevered to make this happen.https://t.co/0lcP3be3Fu
This ban comes in the state that trail-blazed marijuana legalization efforts, and from the governor who helped the state in those legalization efforts.
California made American history as the first state to attempt marijuana legalization in 1972 through Proposition 19. While that legislation effort failed, Proposition 215 succeeded in making California the first state to legalize medical marijuana 20 years later. Marijuana was legalized for recreational use in the state in 2016.
Under current California law, adults of 21 years or older are allowed to grow, possess, and use cannabis recreationally, with certain restrictions.
Governor Newsom has called marijuana legalization a “civil rights issue”, and has praised the state’s legalization of the recreational use of the drug.
“I was proud to be out in front of those efforts,” he said of the drug’s legalization. “It was about addressing the disparities. It was about addressing incarceration. It was about addressing the ills of this war on drugs.”
In other words, the health risks of young people smoking flavored tobacco is great enough to ban the product almost entirely, but the health risks of young people smoking marijuana can be overlooked so long as the cause of “civil rights” are invoked.
The American Heart Association praised California’s ban on flavored tobacco. California should also heed the Association’s recent study warning about the cardiovascular risk that smoking cannabis poses.
“The American Heart Association recommends that people not smoke or vape any substance, including cannabis products, because of the potential harm to the heart, lungs and blood vessels,” said Dr. Rose Marie Robertson, deputy chief and medical officer for the American Heart Association.
California needs to re-examine its priorities and ensure that if they are protecting the health of youth, that they do so consistently, rather than cherry-pick the drugs that best serve their political interests.
