US Won't Sue to Reverse States' Legalization of Marijuana - New York Times

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WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Thursday said 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 on Thursday afternoon, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. explained the government’s “trust but verify” approach to Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington and Gov. John W. Hickenlooper of Colorado, a Justice Department official said.
In a memo sent to federal prosecutors nationwide on Thursday, James M. Cole, the deputy attorney general, laid out eight priority enforcement areas. They are aimed at preventing marijuana sales to children, illegal cartel activity, interstate trafficking of marijuana, and violence and accidents involving the drug.
Federal prosecutors are expected to help state officials set up and carry out regulations, the 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 on Sept. 10 at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing focused on clarifying the administration’s stance on the state laws.
Senator Patrick J. Leahy, Democrat of Vermont and 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,” Mr. Leahy said. “I believe that these state laws should be respected. At a minimum, there should be guidance about enforcement from the federal government.”
Last week, the White House said President Obama did not support changing federal laws regulating marijuana, which treat the drug as a highly dangerous substance with no medical purpose.

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