Recreational Marijuana Laws Under Threat From Justice Department

WASHINGTON, D.C. — White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that the Trump administration intends to subject states that have passed recreational marijuana laws to greater scrutiny, though it will continue to be lenient on medical marijuana policies.

"The president understands the pain and suffering that many people go through who are facing, especially, terminal diseases, and the comfort that some of these drugs, including medical marijuana, can bring to them," Spicer said during Thursday's press briefing. He noted that Congress has already passed a measure that prevents the Department of Justice from interfering in state medical marijuana laws.

"When you see something like the opioid addiction crisis blossoming in so many states around this country, the last thing we should do is encourage people ... when it comes to recreational marijuana," he continued.

"I do believe you'll see greater enforcement of it," Spicer added, referring to laws against recreational marijuana use. (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch for daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

WATCH: White House Hints At Possible Crackdown On Recreational Pot

However, he directed further questions to the Justice Department. Patch reached out to the department for a comment on its policy plans regarding recreational marijuana laws but it declined to offer a comment.

In total, eight states have passed recreational marijuana laws, including Massachusetts, California, Washington, Colorado, Maine, Alaska, Oregon and Nevada, as well as Washington, D.C. Use of the drug is still prohibited under federal law. Under the Obama administration, the Justice Department department declined to challenge states that legalized its use.

During his confirmation hearings, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he would review the Obama-era policy of looking the other way and not intervening in the states' decisions.

He said he was committed to enforcing the federal law. He then added, "The exact balance of enforcement priorities is an ever-changing determination based on the circumstances and the resources available at the time."

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Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty News Images/Getty Images