98:
government priorities away from strict enforcement of federal cannabis prohibition and toward a more hands-off approach in the case of "jurisdictions that have enacted laws legalizing marijuana in some form and that have also implemented strong and effective regulatory and enforcement systems to control the cultivation, distribution, sale and possession of marijuana." Indeed, Cole's memo went so far as to state that "a robust system may affirmatively address priorities by, for example, implementing effective measures to prevent diversion of marijuana outside the regulated system and to other states, prohibiting access to marijuana by minors, and replacing an illicit marijuana trade that funds criminal enterprises with a tightly regulated market in which revenues are tracked and accounted for." Since that date, although federal prosecutions have continued in some legalizing states (notably in the
111:
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20:
175:, stated during February 2021 congressional testimony that he would reinstitute a version of the Cole Memorandum. He reiterated the statement that the Justice Department under his leadership would not pursue cases against Americans "complying with the laws in states that have legalized and are effectively regulating marijuana", in written responses to the Senate Judiciary Committee provided around March 1.
187:
83:
92:
On August 29, 2013, the
Department of Justice published a memorandum authored by Cole which described a new set of priorities for federal prosecutors operating in states which had legalized the medical or other use of marijuana. The "Cole memo" followed a 2009 memorandum from Deputy Attorney General
58:
in states that "enacted laws legalizing marijuana in some form and ... implemented strong and effective regulatory and enforcement systems to control the cultivation, distribution, sale, and possession of marijuana," except where a lack of federal enforcement would undermine federal priorities (such
142:
The memorandum was rescinded by a one-page memo signed by
Attorney General Jeff Sessions on January 4, 2018. Governors and United States senators from several states including Alaska, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont and Washington immediately expressed displeasure at the
133:
Around June 2017, a
Justice Department task force was convened to review the Cole Memo and other Obama-era decisions; it was headed by Michael Murray, Counsel to Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein. The committee's report was finalized June 27, 2017 and released to the public in August when it was
97:
directing U.S. Attorneys in the
Western United States to "not focus federal resources in your States on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana". The 2013 memorandum represented a significant shift of
146:
Legal and political experts expressed varied reactions to
Sessions' 2018 memo. Some said that it would not fundamentally change the existing system, with power to prosecute remaining in the hands of various U.S. Attorneys. Law professor and author
627:
he Obama administration's prosecutorial restraint, as a solution to the conflict between state and federal marijuana laws, was vastly inferior to legislation making the federal ban inapplicable to people who comply with state
1364:
1338:
1204:
936:
365:
122:'s handling of the Cole Memo and their congressional representatives and governors saw Attorney General Jeff Sessions as adamantly opposed to its continuation. Anti-legalization groups like
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530:"Jeff Sessions Has a Violent Crime Reduction Task Force Looking into Marijuana Policy – Why the Attorney General continues to correlate cannabis with the violent crime is still not clear"
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870:
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found to have "no new policy recommendations", and recommended that the Trump
Administration Attorney General "should evaluate whether to maintain, revise or rescind" the memo.
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1354:
784:
685:"Sessions announces end to policy that allowed legal pot to flourish: DOJ leaders said the Obama-era policies made marijuana industry players too comfortable."
347:
States of
Nebraska and Oklahoma, plaintiffs v. State of Colorado - on motion for leave to file a bill of complaint brief for the United States as amicus curiae
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The Cole
Memorandum was sent to all United States Attorneys and was formally titled "Guidance Regarding Marijuana Enforcement".
828:
660:
458:"Federal Pot Policy in Hands of Little-Known DOJ Official: A proposal on what to do about state-legal pot is due in two weeks"
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requested a review or revocation of the memorandum. The federal government's position was vague, with Deputy
Attorney General
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saying in mid-June "maybe there will be changes to it in the future, but we're still operating under that policy".
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661:"Senate Judiciary sends Garland nomination to the floor, confirmation vote could come as early as this week"
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572:"What now? Experts and politicians weigh in on potential impact of Sessions' rollback of marijuana policy"
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DOJ's
Mysterious Marijuana Subcommittee: Few details have emerged about a potentially influential review
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549:""This is outrageous": Politicians react vigorously to report that Sessions will rescind Cole memo"
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366:"How Republicans and Democrats in Congress are joining forces to defeat Sessions' war on weed"
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54:. The memo stated that given its limited resources, the Justice Department would not enforce
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515:
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233:
Memorandum for All United States Attorneys: Guidance Regarding Federal Marijuana Enforcement
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The single-page January 4, 2018 memorandum signed by Jeff Sessions rescinding the Cole Memo
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case), the overall number of federal marijuana prosecutions in such states has declined.
896:
155:". Political columnist Jacob Sullum said it could be seen as justified reaction to the
94:
597:"Jeff Sessions Escalates the Federal War on Marijuana - and his Assault on Federalism"
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287:"Trump Administration Takes Step That Could Threaten Marijuana Legalization Movement"
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as preventing violence in marijuana cultivation and distribution, preventing
665:
398:"Four governors team up, urge feds to keep marijuana enforcement status quo"
51:
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689:
423:
438:
Pot Activists Have Been Holding Their Breath for Months on Jeff Sessions
699:"What You Need to Know Now: An Analysis of the Sessions Marijuana Memo"
642:"Attorney general nominee Garland signals friendlier marijuana stance"
265:
Sessions to nix Obama-era rules leaving states alone that legalize pot
63:, and preventing marijuana revenues from going to gangs and cartels).
419:
SAM Report Asks Jeff Sessions for a Federal Crackdown on Pot Industry
109:
81:
18:
118:
States with legalized cannabis were concerned about the incoming
749:
442:
269:
937:
Americans for Safe Access v. Drug Enforcement Administration
617:"Did Jeff Sessions' Marijuana Memo Restore the Rule of Law?"
246:
U.S. Won’t Sue to Reverse States' Legalization of Marijuana
235:, Office of the Deputy Attorney General (August 29, 2013).
512:
Task force on marijuana law offers little on new policies
871:
Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act
495:
Huff, puff, pass? AG's pot fury not echoed by task force
66:
The Cole Memorandum was rescinded by Attorney General
50:, governed federal prosecution of offenses related to
913:
United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative
171:, President Biden's United States Attorney General,
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Marijuana policy of the Donald Trump administration
1329:List of United States cannabis regulatory agencies
683:Josh Gerstein; Cristiano Lima (January 4, 2018),
713:The Cole Memo: What Is It and What Does It Mean?
157:Obama Administration's use of executive actions
723:"Up in Smoke: Saying Goodbye to the Cole Memo"
285:Charlie Savage; Jack Healy (January 4, 2018),
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8:
865:Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act
959:
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167:In response to questions posed by Senator
1370:Cannabis on American Indian reservations
817:Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act
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16:2013 memo by US Deputy Attorney General
35:memorandum issued August 29, 2013, by
847:Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act
353:, United States Department of Justice
37:United States Deputy Attorney General
7:
640:John Schroyer (February 22, 2021).
416:Thomas Mitchell (August 30, 2017),
344:; et al. (December 16, 2015),
151:called the decision an "assault on
33:United States Department of Justice
721:Lane Powell PC (January 6, 2018),
570:Alicia Wallace (January 4, 2018),
364:Michael Isikoff (April 17, 2017),
244:Ashley Southall & Jack Healy,
14:
1421:Cannabis law in the United States
1365:Politicians who have admitted use
710:Lisa Rough (September 14, 2017),
262:Laura Jarrett (January 4, 2018),
697:Robert McVay (January 5, 2018),
615:Jacob Sullum (January 5, 2018),
445:, June 17, 2017 – via KLTA
199:
185:
492:Sadie Gurman (August 5, 2017),
456:Steven Nelson (July 13, 2017),
1375:Cannabis and the U.S. military
476:Steven Nelson (June 6, 2017),
46:. The memorandum, sent to all
1:
1360:Congressional Cannabis Caucus
777:Cannabis in the United States
528:Zach Harris (April 7, 2017),
396:Aleta Labak (April 3, 2017),
124:Smart Approaches to Marijuana
56:federal marijuana prohibition
811:Solomon–Lautenberg amendment
740:Full text of Cole Memorandum
659:Todd Ruger (March 1, 2021).
463:U.S. News & World Report
70:in January 2018, during the
313:medicalmarijuana.procon.org
1457:
1441:Presidency of Donald Trump
1436:Presidency of Barack Obama
829:Rohrabacher–Farr amendment
705:, Harris Bricken Law Group
72:presidency of Donald Trump
44:presidency of Barack Obama
1426:2013 in the United States
805:Controlled Substances Act
800:Marihuana Tax Act of 1937
61:cannabis impaired driving
1380:Marijuana Policy Project
1334:Cannabis product testing
1097:Northern Mariana Islands
646:Marijuana Business Daily
315:. ProCon. Archived from
342:Donald B. Verrilli, Jr.
48:United States Attorneys
889:Leary v. United States
163:Merrick Garland's view
115:
89:
24:
841:Marijuana Justice Act
602:The Volokh Conspiracy
113:
85:
22:
1107:District of Columbia
929:Moncrieffe v. Holder
207:United States portal
162:
120:Trump administration
1102:U.S. Virgin Islands
595:(January 4, 2018),
1390:Harry J. Anslinger
378:on January 4, 2018
292:The New York Times
252:(August 29, 2013).
250:The New York Times
116:
90:
25:
1403:
1402:
1317:
1316:
947:
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921:Gonzales v. Raich
905:Conant v. Walters
559:, January 4, 2018
128:Rod J. Rosenstein
100:Kettle Falls Five
1448:
1416:2013 in cannabis
964:Recreational use
960:
853:SAFE Banking Act
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823:Cole Memorandum
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677:Further reading
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580:The Denver Post
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173:Merrick Garland
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29:Cole Memorandum
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1238:North Carolina
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1205:Decriminalized
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793:Laws and bills
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734:External links
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703:Canna Law Blog
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576:The Cannabist
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553:The Cannabist
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514:Sadie Gurman
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403:The Cannabist
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40:James M. Cole
38:
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21:
1395:Dispensaries
1339:Rescheduling
1243:North Dakota
1180:South Dakota
1175:Pennsylvania
1165:North Dakota
1072:Rhode Island
955:jurisdiction
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324:. Retrieved
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1223:Mississippi
1195:Puerto Rico
1155:Mississippi
1117:Medical use
992:Connecticut
953:Legality by
881:Court cases
785:Federal law
371:Yahoo! News
306:"Cole memo"
169:Cory Booker
42:during the
1410:Categories
1322:Regulation
1087:Washington
1052:New Mexico
1047:New Jersey
982:California
835:STATES Act
593:Ilya Somin
535:Merry Jane
382:January 4,
221:References
153:federalism
149:Ilya Somin
143:decision.
138:Rescission
1431:Memoranda
1299:Wisconsin
1289:Tennessee
1218:Louisiana
1150:Louisiana
1027:Minnesota
666:Roll Call
52:marijuana
1355:Timeline
1228:Nebraska
1170:Oklahoma
1145:Kentucky
1130:Arkansas
1082:Virginia
1057:New York
1032:Missouri
1022:Michigan
1012:Maryland
1002:Illinois
997:Delaware
987:Colorado
859:MORE Act
727:JD Supra
716:, Leafly
690:Politico
424:Westword
326:24 April
179:See also
78:Issuance
1348:Related
1304:Wyoming
1269:Indiana
1259:Georgia
1252:Illegal
1135:Florida
1125:Alabama
1077:Vermont
1037:Montana
977:Arizona
500:AP News
1279:Kansas
1213:Hawaii
1140:Hawaii
1067:Oregon
1042:Nevada
972:Alaska
940:(2013)
932:(2013)
924:(2005)
916:(2001)
908:(2000)
900:(1975)
892:(1969)
873:(2022)
867:(2022)
861:(2019)
855:(2019)
849:(2019)
843:(2019)
837:(2018)
831:(2014)
825:(2013)
819:(2011)
813:(1990)
807:(1970)
622:Reason
106:Review
31:was a
1385:NORML
1294:Texas
1264:Idaho
1007:Maine
742:(DOJ)
351:(PDF)
320:(PDF)
309:(PDF)
1274:Iowa
1185:Utah
1092:Guam
1062:Ohio
628:law.
384:2018
328:2015
27:The
443:CNN
270:CNN
74:.
1412::
725:,
701:,
687:,
663:.
644:.
625:,
619:,
599:,
578:,
574:,
555:,
551:,
532:,
498:,
460:,
441:,
422:,
400:,
368:,
311:.
289:,
277:^
268:,
248:,
159:.
769:e
762:t
755:v
669:.
648:.
330:.
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