WASHINGTON — Members of Colorado’s congressional delegation plan to meet Tuesday to discuss the possibility of legislation to protect the state’s marijuana laws and businesses. A spokesperson for Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver, acknowledged the planned meeting to Colorado Politics but provided no additional details. “Rep. DeGette has been involved in bipartisan talks during the last several days with other members of the Colorado delegation,” said spokesperson Lynne Weil. “She believes legislation... Read more

If you live in a place where recreational pot use is legal, you’re probably wondering whether you need to start worrying about getting prosecuted for it. The answer is probably not, at least according to initial indications from the dozen or so U.S. attorneys general who get to make that call. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is under heavy criticism — even from within his own Republican Party — for announcing last week that federal prosecutors can decide for themselves whether to press pot cases ... Read more

Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ Thursday decision to rescind Obama-era protections for legal marijuana states came as a shock to many lawmakers. But what at first felt like a major setback instead turned into a rallying cry for members of the House Cannabis Caucus. “We have bills, I’ve authored one — the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act — there’s others that would simply reschedule,” said Colorado Democrat Rep. Jared Polis, a member of the group. “We’ve never had a vote on them.” Recreational... Read more

Members of Colorado’s congressional delegation on Friday began to hatch a plan to counter Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ move to eliminate Obama-era guidance on marijuana enforcement. Legislative sources confirmed to The Cannabist that Colorado lawmakers, including Representatives Ed Perlmutter, Diana DeGette and Jared Polis, and Sen. Cory Gardner, held a call Friday afternoon to strategize on a push on marijuana-related measures — specifically crafting a spending bill provision to restrict the... Read more

Colorado lawmakers are firing back at U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who announced today he has rescinded the Obama-era Justice Department policy that paved the way for a hands-off approach to states that have legalized marijuana. "Given the Department's well-established general principles, previous nationwide guidance specific to marijuana enforcement is unnecessary and is rescinded, effective immediately," Sessions said in a one-page memo sent to federal prosecutors nationwide. U.S. Rep... Read more

oliticians from states where marijuana sales are legal released statements and took to Twitter Thursday morning to express their dismay at a report that U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will rescind the Cole Memo. Colorado Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper issued a statement: “Thirty states comprising more than two thirds of the American people have legalized marijuana in some form. The Cole memo got it right and was foundational in guiding states’ efforts to regulate the production and distrib... Read more

After news broke Thursday that Attorney General Jeff Sessions is rescinding the Obama-era policy that had paved the way for legalized marijuana to flourish in Colorado and other states, political reaction across the state was swift and steady. At issue is the Cole Memorandum, issued in 2013 by Deputy Attorney General James Cole, that directed U.S. attorneys not to make marijuana prosecutions a priority in states where voters have approved its legalization. "It is the mission of the Department of... Read more

DENVER – Officials from Colorado reacted sternly and swiftly to the Thursday decision by Attorney General Jeff Sessions to rescind an Obama-era Justice Department memo that said the federal government wouldn’t interfere with states’ legal marijuana programs, and Colorado’s U.S. attorney said his office didn’t plan to make many changes on how it handles enforcement. The 2013 memo from James Cole, who was deputy attorney general at the time, directed law enforcement officials not to interfere with... Read more

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, a Colorado Republican, said on Twitter Thursday he’s “prepared to take all steps necessary” to block a reported move by Attorney General Jeff Sessions reversing federal policy that has has let states legalize recreational marijuana. His Democratic counterpart, Michael Bennet, said the decision will “create unnecessary chaos and confusion.” “This reported action directly contradicts what Attorney General Sessions told me prior to his confirmation,” Gardner said in a tweet.... Read more

U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter says he’ll be greeting visitors to his congressional website with a message of support for young immigrants and federal heath care programs until Congress tackles the issues with permanent fixes. “I support Dreamers, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and community health centers,” reads white text on a black pop-up graphic that has appeared on the Arvada Democrat’s site since Wednesday. Congress adjourned for the year Thursday after approving temporary funding throu... Read more