Watch CBS News

Sessions Says US Prosecutors Won't Take On Small-time Pot Cases

Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter

WASHINGTON (AP) - Attorney General Jeff Sessions says federal prosecutors won't take on small-time marijuana cases, despite his move to lift an Obama-era Justice Department policy that discouraged U.S. authorities from cracking down on the pot trade in states where the drug is legal.

Sessions said Saturday that federal law enforcement lacks resources to take on "routine cases" and would continue to focus on drug gangs and larger conspiracies.

The comments come after Sessions said federal prosecutors should handle marijuana cases however they see fit. The move created uncertainty about the future of the bourgeoning legalization movement.

Sessions said he won't allow states to flout federal law banning the drug. But he says federal prosecutors "haven't been working small marijuana cases before, they are not going to be working them now."

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.