Senator jokes he wasn’t arrested for transporting marijuana

A Twitter account for Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) on Friday joked that he and his wife were not the octogenarian couple arrested earlier this week for transporting 60 pounds of marijuana.

“You can all stop asking, this isnt about Elaine & me,” Hatch’s account tweeted, referring to the senator’s wife. “I’m in favor of medical marijuana research.. but not like this.”

You can all stop asking, this isnt about Elaine & me. I’m in favor of medical marijuana research.. but not like this https://t.co/b2uQdfMp5S

— Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) December 22, 2017

The New York Times reported Friday that a couple, aged 83 and 80, were arrested in Nebraska for allegedly transporting 60 pounds of marijuana. The couple told police that they were giving the marijuana away as Christmas presents.

{mosads}

Hatch, who is 83, has been a proponent for medical marijuana research. He announced earlier this year that he would introduce a bill removing barriers to the research in a pun-filled statement.

“It’s high time to address research into medical marijuana,” he said in September. “To be blunt, we need to remove the administrative barriers preventing legitimate research into medical marijuana, which is why I’ve decided to roll out the MEDS Act.”

Friday’s tweet was not signed with Hatch’s initials — his profile notes that tweets written by him are signed while others are sent by his staff.