The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit handed down a huge win for Marijuana patients and growers on Tuesday. The decision now puts the breaks on the DOJ’s war on drugs, at least on the pot front. The Department of Justice will no longer be able to prosecute any dispensary, grower or patient for following state marijuana laws.
For a dispensary, this will ease the anxiety that the DEA could storm in any moment and put you out of business. It sounds kind of stupid, but it happens, a lot. Until now, there were no federal laws on the books in regards to marijuana. This meant that even while dispensaries were following all state laws, the federal government, which still sees it as illegal, could shut down the business and prosecute the owners and employees.
Our resident growers can now sleep a bit more easily knowing that the Feds won’t be raiding and burning their crops tonight. That goes for patients as well. In states where it is legal to grow your own weed, the federal government can’t touch you as long as you are following your state laws.
Of course, one still has to worry about their particular state. There are always dissenters who want to see the marijuana programs shut down, although we’ll admit, that list is getting shorter. More and more members of the senate and congress are leaning toward easing restrictions on legalization as a whole, but what is keeping us from the final push?
While this still a big step for cannabis, it may only be temporary. The rider bill attached to the appropriations committee could simply be dropped from the bill, and the decision could dissolve. Currently, though it looks like there is enough support to keep this rider attached for 2017, but with Congress, you never know.
One thing is for sure; dispensaries, growers, and patients get the immediate benefits and reduced fear of prosecution for the foreseeable future. Since dispensaries live in fear of being raided daily, this is especially good news for them. Growers and Patients should familiarize themselves with the current laws and stay up to date on all marijuana-related news. Remember, while the DOJ can’t prosecute you for following state laws; if you break them, both the State and the Feds are back in play.
