Pubdate: Fri, 30 Aug 2013
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock, AR)
Copyright: 2013 The New York Times
Contact: http://www2.arkansasonline.com/contact/voicesform/
Website: http://www2.arkansasonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/25
Note: Accepts letters to the editor from Arkansas residents only
Author: Ashley Southall

U.S. TO MONITOR, NOT INTERFERE WITH 20 STATES' MARIJUANA LAWS

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama administration said Thursday that 
it would not sue to undo laws legalizing marijuana in 20 states, 
although it will monitor operations in those states to make sure they 
do not run afoul of several enforcement priorities.

Washington and Colorado recently began allowing small amounts of 
marijuana to be used recreationally, while 18 other states and the 
District of Columbia permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

In a phone call Thursday, Attorney General Eric Holder explained the 
government's "trust but verify" approach to Gov. Jay Inslee of 
Washington and Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado, a Justice 
Department official said.

After Colorado and Washington legalized recreational marijuana, some 
members of Congress sought to have the administration clarify whether 
state officials risked federal criminal prosecution while carrying 
out their duties under the state laws.

The attorney general is expected to testify Sept. 10 at a Senate 
Judiciary Committee hearing focused on clarifying the 
administration's stance on the state laws.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the chairman of the committee, said the 
administration should respect the state laws.

"It is important, especially at a time of budget constraints, to 
determine whether it is the best use of federal resources to 
prosecute the personal or medicinal use of marijuana in states that 
have made such consumption legal," Leahy said.

Last week, the White House said Obama did not support changing 
federal laws regulating marijuana, which treat the drug as a highly 
dangerous substance with no medical purpose.

Under the new policy, the federal government's top investigative 
priorities range from preventing the distribution of marijuana to 
minors to preventing sales revenue from going to criminal 
enterprises, gangs and cartels, and preventing the diversion of 
marijuana outside of states where it is legal under state law.

Other top-priority enforcement areas include stopping 
state-authorized marijuana activity from being used as a cover for 
trafficking other illegal drugs, and preventing violence and the use 
of firearms in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana. The top 
areas also include preventing drugged driving, preventing growing 
marijuana on public land and preventing marijuana possession on 
federal property.

The Justice Department memorandum says it will take a broad view of 
the federal priorities. For example, in preventing the distribution 
of marijuana to minors, enforcement could take place when marijuana 
trafficking takes place near an area associated with minors, or when 
marijuana is marketed in a manner appealing to minors or diverted to minors.

Information for this article was contributed by Gene Johnson, Pete 
Yost and Kristen Wyatt of The Associated Press.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom