Nebraska And Oklahoma Sue Colorado Over Marijuana Legalization

[Shandar]

In the most serious legal challenge to date against Colorado's legalization of marijuana, two neighboring states have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the history-making law.

Nebraska and Oklahoma filed the lawsuit directly with the nation's highest court on Thursday. The two states argue in the lawsuit that, "the State of Colorado has created a dangerous gap in the federal drug control system."

"Marijuana flows from this gap into neighboring states, undermining Plaintiff States' own marijuana bans, draining their treasuries, and placing stress on their criminal justice systems," the lawsuit alleges.

Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said in a statement that he will defend the state's legalization of marijuana, saying that the lawsuit is, "without merit."

"Because neighboring states have expressed concern about Colorado-grown marijuana coming into their states, we are not entirely surprised by this action," Suthers said. "However, it appears the plaintiffs' primary grievance stems from non-enforcement of federal laws regarding marijuana, as opposed to choices made by the voters of Colorado."

Colorado voters in 2012 passed Amendment 64, which legalized use and limited possession of marijuana by anyone over 21. The new law, tied for the first in the nation to widely legalize marijuana at the state level, came after more than a decade of legal use and possession of marijuana in Colorado for certain medical purposes.

News Moderator: Shandar @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Colorado Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic, Jobs - The Denver Post
Author: John Ingold
Contact: Contact Us - The Denver Post
Website: Nebraska and Oklahoma sue Colorado over marijuana legalization - The Denver Post

 

[J9BLACK]

This is dangerous to the cannabis movement as those states may be granted standing. Congress MUST move to prevent this from getting any worse. A war between red states and green states? Not pretty.

 

[dingusmcgee]

its a ridiculous attempt at pandering via lip service.

with the MITS system, there is very little room for legal growers to skirt regulation and produce illegally. the pretense to most of the emerging anti mj propaganda, that i've noticed, is trying to pretend that mj did not exist in these areas prior to legalization. as long as any of use have been alive, weed has been available from coast to coast.

 

[Radogast]

This is dangerous to the cannabis movement as those states may be granted standing. Congress MUST move to prevent this from getting any worse. A war between red states and green states? Not pretty.

This was done on the same day President Obama signed into law a bill that institutes a federal moratorium on cannabis law enforcement in Colorado and other states. Congress has already spoken (at least until Suit 2015.)

 

[J9BLACK]

These states may be granted standing as an aggrieved party to the failure of the feds to enforce federal law, but that didn't work out too well for Arizona.

It will be too easy for those states to demonstrate increased cannabis trafficking across state borders. We know there was a deliberate crackdown by the policia, therefore the numbers would naturally increase even if the volume didn't. But you know the volume DID.

I think the states may fail to demonstrate actual harm.