By the Editorial Board | The New York Times
(Editor’s note: Posting opinion pieces does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rose Law Group.)
On marijuana policy, there’s a rift between the federal government and the states. It started with California’s allowing marijuana for medical use in 1996, widened as several other states followed suit, and became too big to ignore 10 months ago, when voters in Colorado and Washington decided to legalize the drug for recreational use. Under federal law possession is still a crime.
After conspicuous silence, the Justice Department announced in August that it wouldn’t try to put the toothpaste back in the tube — it wouldn’t sue to block the Colorado and Washington laws as long as those states put in place “strong and effective regulatory and enforcement systems.” But this policy hasn’t cleared up all the confusion arising from this tricky situation. Many practical questions remain, as became obvious at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday about conflicts between state and federal marijuana laws.
If you’d like to discuss medical marijuana, contact Ryan Hurley, director of the Rose Law Group Medical Marijuana Dept. rhurley@roselawgroup.com
