Obama Administration Medical Marijuana Policy Released

From a 2007 medical marijuana raid in Hollywood (more photos here) | Photo by Shay Sowden

In a major switch from the Bush Administration, Attorney General Eric Holder in a memo today told agencies in 14 states to stop prioritizing raids and cases against those who comply with state medical marijuana laws. It's not a good use of time, the three-page legal memo said, urging that criminals should be the focus of any efforts.

"It will not be a priority to use federal resources to prosecute patients with serious illnesses or their caregivers who are complying with state laws on medical marijuana, but we will not tolerate drug traffickers who hide behind claims of compliance with state law to mask activities that are clearly illegal," Holder wrote.

However, the Associated Press notes that the policy "does not rule out the possibility that the federal government could still prosecute someone whose activities are allowed under state law."