On March 18, 2009, US Attorney General Eric Holder stated that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) would no longer prosecute medical marijuana facilities that were in full compliance with their state's marijuana laws. Federal prosecution of facilities in violation of state laws would still continue, as marijuana use and sale still violated federal law. Holder's statement marked a distinct change from the federal raids of medical marijuana facilities that were routine under the George W. Bush administration and continued into the first year of the Barack Obama administration. Holder later indicated that the DOJ would continue to enforce federal marijuana laws under the Controlled Substances Act should a ballot measure legalizing marijuana pass that November in California.

Learn more about medical marijuana from the JURIST news archive.

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