1 | Washington
Pot Persecution Up in Smoke
The U.S. Department of Justice has instructed federal prosecutors not to pursue medical-marijuana users or distributors as long as they are in compliance with state laws. Attorney General Eric Holder couched the directive as a commitment to the "efficient and rational use" of the Justice Department's limited resources. It marks a significant shift from Bush Administration policy, under which authorities raided dispensaries in the 13 states that currently permit residents with specific medical conditions, including AIDS and glaucoma, to toke up. While some advocacy groups hailed the measure--which codifies a plan loosely outlined...