The U.S. attorney general nominated by President Joe Biden stated in a written statement that the Department of Justice wouldn’t be using its resources to prosecute individuals who were in compliance with state cannabis laws. Judge Merrick Garland explained that the government should focus on extensive criminal enterprises that do not comply with the state’s marijuana legalization laws rather than pursuing individuals who were complying with the local marijuana policies. When asked by Ranking Member Chuck Grassley how he would handle the federal-state cannabis policy conflict, Garland remarked that it would not be best to utilize the department’s limited resources to pursue prosecutions of individuals who were abiding by the laws in states that have legalized cannabis and are effectively regulating it. Instead, he continued, the focus should be placed on ensuring that minors were prohibited from accessing marijuana and that no attempts were made by criminal enterprises to try and evade state laws.
CannabisNewsWire, 03/08/2021 04:20:00