Pubdate: Fri, 19 Dec 2014
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 2014 Los Angeles Times
Contact:  http://www.latimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248
Author: Kurtis Lee

STATES FILE SUIT OVER COLORADO POT

A pair of states on Thursday filed a lawsuit with the U.S. Supreme 
Court in an effort to strike down Colorado's laws that legalize 
recreational marijuana.

Citing federal antidrug laws, particularly interstate drug 
trafficking, Nebraska and Oklahoma said in the lawsuit that 
Colorado's marijuana laws had "created a dangerous gap in the federal 
drug-control system enacted by the United States Congress."

In 2012, Coloradans voted in support of Amendment 64, which legalized 
the recreational sale and use of up to an ounce of marijuana for any 
resident over 21. Moreover, under Amendment 64, Coloradans can grow 
up to six marijuana plants for personal use.

"The result of increased Colorado-sourced marijuana being trafficked 
in [Nebraska and Oklahoma] due to the passage and implementation of 
Colorado Amendment 64 has been the diversion of a significant amount 
of the personnel time, budget and resources" of those states, wrote 
Nebraska Atty. Gen. Jon Bruning and Oklahoma Atty. Gen. E. Scott 
Pruitt in the court filing.

Pruitt said in a statement Thursday, "The illegal products being 
distributed in Colorado are being trafficked across state lines 
thereby injuring neighboring states like Oklahoma and Nebraska."

Colorado Atty. Gen. John Suthers, who leaves office next month, vowed 
Thursday to defend the state's legal recreational marijuana laws.

"We believe this suit is without merit and we will vigorously defend 
against it in the U.S. Supreme Court," he said.

Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, but several states 
including Washington, Oregon and Alaska have passed laws legalizing 
recreational marijuana sales.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom