DENVER (AP) — Whether to crack down on marijuana in states where it is legal is a decision that will now rest with those states’ top federal prosecutors.
But many of those prosecutors are deeply rooted in their communities and may be reluctant to pursue cannabis businesses or their customers.
When he rescinded the Justice Department’s previous guidance on marijuana, Attorney General Jeff Sessions left the issue to a mix of prosecutors who were appointed by President Donald Trump’s administration and others who are holdovers from the Barack Obama years.
Legal experts do not expect a flood of new cases. People familiar with the job of U.S. attorney say prosecutors could decide against using already limited resources to seek charges against law-abiding cannabis companies or their customers.