• About CARE
    • Contact
    • C.A.R.E. Giver
    • Volunteer
    • VIP Invitations
  • The State of Cannabis
  • Children's Book
C.A.R.E.
  • About CARE
    • Contact
    • C.A.R.E. Giver
    • Volunteer
    • VIP Invitations
  • The State of Cannabis
  • Children's Book
Picture

U.S. prosecutors dealt setback in medical marijuana cases

8/17/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Dan Levine
The U.S. Department of Justice cannot spend money to prosecute federal marijuana cases if the defendants comply with state guidelines that permit the drug's sale for medical purposes, a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday.
The ruling, from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, comes as voters in nine more states will consider allowing the recreational or medical use of marijuana this November.
Twenty-five U.S. states currently allow for medical marijuana. While the sale of the drug is still illegal under federal law, Congress in 2014 passed a budget rule which prohibits the DOJ from using federal funds to interfere in the implementation of state marijuana regulations.
Due to this rule, defendants in 10 cases in California and Washington argued that their federal charges should be dismissed. The 9th Circuit in San Francisco, which covers nine Western states, ruled on Tuesday that the DOJ could not spend money as long as those defendants "strictly complied" with all state regulations.
The appeals court sent the cases back to lower courts to determine if the defendants had complied with state law.
A Justice Department spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.
In November California and eight other states will consider whether to allow marijuana for recreational or medical use. Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska, as well as the District of Columbia, already permit it for recreational purposes.
The unanimous 9th Circuit ruling on Tuesday was issued by a three-judge panel, two of whom are Republican appointees with a history of pro-law enforcement opinions.
Despite the outcome, however, Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain wrote that medical marijuana purveyors should not feel immune from federal law.

​Read more here
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

      ​Get VIP invites

    Subscribe to Newsletter

    Author

    Susan Soares has written for Cannabis Now Magazine, Alternet, and Sensi Magazine. 

    Archives

    June 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    May 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    RSS Feed

  • About CARE
    • Contact
    • C.A.R.E. Giver
    • Volunteer
    • VIP Invitations
  • The State of Cannabis
  • Children's Book