jct74
07-21-2011, 02:31 AM
AP: BETH DeFALCO
TRENTON, N.J. — Gov. Chris Christie said Tuesday that he will allow New Jersey to move forward in implementing its medical marijuana law despite his concerns over whether federal authorities could prosecute state regulators.
After saying last month that he wanted assurance from the U.S. Justice Department that it won't pursue criminal charges against state-sanctioned medical marijuana programs, he pivoted Tuesday, saying he was drawing upon his seven years of experience as New Jersey's U.S. attorney in anticipating that federal prosecutors have more important crimes to pursue.
"It is my belief, having held that job for seven years, that there's a lot of other things that will be more important as long as the dispensaries operate within the law," he said.
He never received blanket assurance from the Justice Department. But in making his announcement, the governor said that allowing the program to move forward was "a risk I'm willing to take as governor."
Read more:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/20/new-jersey-medical-marijuana_n_904302.html
TRENTON, N.J. — Gov. Chris Christie said Tuesday that he will allow New Jersey to move forward in implementing its medical marijuana law despite his concerns over whether federal authorities could prosecute state regulators.
After saying last month that he wanted assurance from the U.S. Justice Department that it won't pursue criminal charges against state-sanctioned medical marijuana programs, he pivoted Tuesday, saying he was drawing upon his seven years of experience as New Jersey's U.S. attorney in anticipating that federal prosecutors have more important crimes to pursue.
"It is my belief, having held that job for seven years, that there's a lot of other things that will be more important as long as the dispensaries operate within the law," he said.
He never received blanket assurance from the Justice Department. But in making his announcement, the governor said that allowing the program to move forward was "a risk I'm willing to take as governor."
Read more:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/20/new-jersey-medical-marijuana_n_904302.html