Marijuana for medical purposes will no longer be prosecuted by the feds

People who use marijuana for medical purposes and those who distribute it should not face federal prosecution, provided they act according to state law, the Justice Department said on Monday in a directive with political and legal implications.

At the same time, the department emphasized that it would continue to pursue those who use the concept of medical marijuana as a ruse for drug trafficking. “Marijuana distribution in the United States remains the single largest source of revenue for the Mexican cartels,” the department said in pledging that prosecuting the makers and sellers of illegal drugs, including marijuana, would remain a “core priority.”

The most affected state is California. That should provide some welcome relief to those in California that use marijuana for medicinal reasons. [New York Times]

Now, tax the marijuana, and use the tax revenue to help finance health care.

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