Pubdate: Tue, 22 Dec 2015
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2015 The Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122

AG WANTS TO PURSUE LAWSUIT VS. COLORADO

Washington (AP) - Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt has said 
that he plans to continue to press the U.S. Supreme Court for 
permission to sue Colorado over its marijuana laws, despite objection 
from President Obama's administration.

Oklahoma and Nebraska asked for the court's permission a year ago to 
sue Colorado over aspects of its marijuana legalization plan.

A spokesman for Pruitt said that written arguments will be filed next month.

Oklahoma and Nebraska say that Colorado laws allowing the 
manufacture, possession and distribution of marijuana violate the 
federal Controlled Substances Act and have led to more illegal drugs 
crossing state lines.

The two states say that the actions taken by Colorado have hindered 
their efforts to enforce marijuana laws in their states.

The Oklahoman reported that the Supreme Court asked for the Obama 
administration's opinion in May.

The administration urged the Supreme Court to reject the lawsuit from 
Oklahoma and Nebraska.

In a brief filed last week, the solicitor general argued that the 
U.S. Supreme Court typically limits state conflicts to ones where 
there is direct injury.

"This case does not satisfy the direct-injury requirement," the 
administration's brief states.

Pruitt says: "States aren't required to criminalize marijuana or 
enforce federal law. That is not what Oklahoma's lawsuit is about. 
The Obama administration has turned a blind eye, emboldening states 
like Colorado to set up systems that encourage the commercialization 
and trafficking of a substance illegal under federal law."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom