In the past five years, twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia (DC) have voted to legalize medicinal marijuana; and seven states and DC have legalized recreational marijuana use. The federal government has historically classified cannabis, whether in the form of marijuana, hashish or hash oil, as an illegal controlled substance. However, in 2011, the Department of Justice (DOJ) changed its policy regarding the enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act in states where marijuana is legal. The Cole Memo explained the DOJ’s new policy of not prosecuting or seizing assets from marijuana businesses and users that complied with state law.
Continue Reading Medicinal marijuana patients’ protection from federal enforcement extended through the end of the fiscal year on September 30.