An excerpt from a memo issued by the Deputy Attorney General to all US attorneys (October 19, 2009):
Quote:
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Originally Posted by David W. Ogden
The prosecution of significant traffickers of illegal drugs, including marijuana, and the disruption of illegal drug manufacturing and trafficking networks continues to be a core priority in the Department's efforts against narcotics and dangerous drugs, and the Department's investigative and prosecutorial resources should be directed towards these objectives. As a general matter, pursuit of these priorities should 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.
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Although it's just a memo, and nothing is binding, it is meant to be a guideline for all US attorneys as well as the rest of the DoJ -- including the DEA. Here the Deputy Attorney General is basically saying it's a waste of federal resources to prosecute individuals who are in compliance with state law. It sure would be nice to see more of this kind of attitude from the federal government when regarding state's rights.
Even though they issued this memo, the DEA continued raids on individuals in Colorado who were in compliance with state law, but the Attorney General's office is taking some heat, because it looks like people in the DoJ are just ignoring their "guidance". It looks insubordinate.