US Attorney General nominee says he’s “not going after” marijuana in states where it’s legal

By Dominic Helden | Buzzfeed

Bill Barr, President Donald Trump’s nominee for US attorney general, told the Senate on Tuesday he would not bust marijuana businesses that abide by state legalization laws.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate to upset those interests,” Barr told the Senate Judiciary Committee in a confirmation hearing, citing a policy of tolerance toward marijuana established under the Obama administration.

A 2013 memo by former deputy attorney general James Cole placed a low priority on licensed businesses that stuck to a set of guidelines — like stopping pot from crossing state lines, funding cartels, or falling into the hands of minors — in states with legalization laws.