This is very good new for the citizens of Colorado and my state of Washington, and any other states that may follow our leads. We had all been waiting anxiously for this decision.
This allows or legal processes set op by popular votes to go forward.
U.S. allows states to legalize recreational marijuana within limits
By David Ingram
(Reuters) - In a move marijuana advocates hailed as a historic shift, the Obama administration on Thursday began giving U.S. states wide leeway to experiment with pot legalization and started by letting Colorado and Washington carry out new laws permitting recreational use.
The Justice Department said it would refocus marijuana enforcement nationwide by bringing criminal charges only in eight defined areas - such as distribution to minors - and giving breathing room to users, growers and related businesses that have feared prosecution.
The decisions end nearly a year of deliberation inside President Barack Obama's administration about how to react to the growing movement for relaxed U.S. marijuana laws.
Advocates for legalization welcomed the announcement as a major step toward ending what they called "marijuana prohibition."
"Today's announcement demonstrates the sort of political vision and foresight from the White House we've been seeking for a long time," said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, an advocacy group.
People here in Washington had been wondering is Holder's DOJ would sue to overturn our new marijuana laws, passed by voters by almost a 56% margin. A similar measure passed in Colorado by a 54% margin.
The areas include distribution to minors, situations when marijuana revenue is going to other criminal enterprises, trafficking across state lines and growing on public land.
I agree with Ethan Nadelmann. Its been a long time coming.