With Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) at its helm, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday sought clarity from a top law enforcement official on how to reconcile conflicting federal and state marijuana laws.

At a Capitol Hill hearing, the committee zeroed in on the Department of Justice’s announcement last month that it would permit Colorado and Washington to host a regulated marijuana industry. The two states passed referenda last year to legalize recreational use of the drug by adults.

Deputy Attorney General James Cole, a star witness at the hearing, issued a memo Aug. 29 advising prosecutors to focus enforcement on those who sell the drug to minors, distribute it to states where it remains illegal or use state laws as a cover for drug trafficking.

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Charles Eichacker was a staff writer for Seven Days.

7 replies on “Leahy Leads Hearing On State and Federal Marijuana Laws”

  1. I guess Pat needed to try and cover up his support for the President and his plan to strike Syria with these hearings.
    It really is a shame… we have a population of adults that can’t focus on two things at once and to them smoking pot is way more important then smoking some arabs.
    “Of particular concern to Leahy was whether and how businesses that legally sell marijuana could utilize banking services”
    Oh Great Leader of the Justice Dept. Pat… this is an easy one… no businesses sell marijuana legally because ITS AGAINST THE LAW…
    We need term limits desperately.

  2. Arguing about pot at the highest levels is a great political strategy. Maybe it’s good for you, maybe it’s bad. Meanwhile banks selling crap mortgages to other banks almost brought down the whole country, but you won’t find the prisons filling up with bankers, nope. We need those beds for potheads.

  6. We have a population that doesn’t need any drug to make them stupid. Welfare made them stupid. the kind of welfare that makes them look responsible and wholesome and all that other crap until they open their mouths and the stupid falls out.

  7. yea, Pat,
    I remember sitting around the kitchen getting stoned then making ‘garbage can’ pizzas. (you know , all the leftovers that should go into the garbage go onto the pizza instead) and LOT’S of beer. looks like he’s still living those days.
    Too Bad, Vermont Needs Better.

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