As I mentioned in my last blog and as you\u2019ve no doubt heard by now, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has announced potentially far-reaching changes in federal criminal law enforcement. This blog looks at the Department of Justice\u2019s position on marijuana. <\/p>\n
Deputy Attorney General James Cole testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday and sent a memo to all U.S. Attorneys relating to the enforcement of federal marijuana laws in the numerous states where marijuana is now legal in some form. In 21 states and the District of Columbia, marijuana has been legalized for medical purposes. In two states, Colorado and Washington, recreational use of marijuana is legal.<\/p>\n
Cole acknowledged that \u201cstate laws that endeavor to authorize marijuana production, distribution, and possession\u201d should influence federal authorities\u2019 approach to marijuana enforcement. In particular, where states that have legalized marijuana have \u201cstrong and effective regulatory and enforcement systems,\u201d the federal government will not get involved. Regulation of marijuana activities will be left up to those states. On the other hand, where states that have legalized marijuana do not have enough regulations to prevent certain harms from flourishing the federal government may still crack down. The Cole memo identified the particular evils in which the federal government is interested:<\/p>\n
\u2013 Preventing distribution of marijuana to minors;
\n\u2013 Preventing revenue from marijuana sales from supporting illegal gangs and drug cartels;
\n\u2013 Preventing diversion of marijuana to states where it is illegal;
\n\u2013 Preventing violence in the cultivation and trafficking of marijuana;
\n\u2013 Preventing drugged driving and other health hazards;
\n\u2013 Preventing marijuana cultivation on public land;
\n\u2013 Preventing possession of marijuana on federal property.<\/p>\n
Legislators and pot advocates in California will probably be examining state marijuana law to ensure that it adequately meet the above federal priorities. Doing so will be the best way to stave off federal government interference in marijuana activity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As I mentioned in my last blog and as you\u2019ve no doubt heard by now, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has announced potentially far-reaching changes in federal criminal law enforcement. This blog looks at the Department of Justice\u2019s position on marijuana. Deputy Attorney General James Cole testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday and sent […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"es","enabled_languages":["en","es"],"languages":{"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"es":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"yoast_head":"\n