There is still quite a few months away before the recreational pot stores open. This is similar to the Oct 2009 memo that said the Feds would not go after MMJ dispensaries in compliance with their state's MMJ guidelines. How did that work out ?...maybe 6 months later DEA was back at it again doing what they love to do.
The catch to this current statement saying that the Feds would not interfere with the states medical and recreational laws is that the Feds WILL raid again and shut them down because the Feds will say the supply was crossing the state line to other states who have no MMJ or recreational legislation and they will say that they will not tolerate the black market being supplied by legal marijuana in one state going into another state where it is not legal.
They will raid again also because it will send a message to other state politicians who are watching to see what action the Feds take in WA and CO. If the Feds do nothing, then other states will immediately start passing recreational legalization bills. If the Feds do raid WA and CO dispensaries, it will slow down the legalization measures being fought for in other states by creating a chilling effect.
The Feds will use any tactic , any laws , any lies , to keep the war against marijuana going as long as they can. They will fail. Legalization will happen within the states, but the Feds are going to do everything they can to drag it out and slow down the progress. You can count on them raiding the recreational pot stores and using the reason of the black market in other states being supplied by legal marijuana in WA and CO. Watch and see, I'm 99% certain they plan to use this tactic.
From the current false promise in the link of the OP , it says this >
But the memo also made clear that the Justice Department expects states to put in place regulations aimed at preventing marijuana sales to minors, illegal cartel and gang activity, interstate trafficking of marijuana, and violence and accidents involving the drug.
My wager is that when they break their word as usual, the reason will be interstate trafficking because that's going on right now. WA and CO and even a few other MMJ states, especially California are supplying other states with marijuana. My theory is that because Colorado allows residents to grow their own, that this will increase the black market supply to other states all over the US as black market profits will be greater in non-legal states.
Not only will dealers be trafficking large amounts out of state but tourists are going to be flooding in and out leaving the state with small amounts. Surrounding border states will be increasing traffic stops and searches making marijuana busts. The Feds are probably going to site the reason for raiding recreational pot stores as interstate trafficking. It's a no-brainer really, because the black market growers and sellers are going to see their chance at big profits for shipping large quantities all over the US and Colorado will likely be the black market growers hub for US distribution.
Now if the Feds have not made any raids in WA or CO by mid summer of 2014, then by that time they probably never will but I'd give them 3-4 months at the most after Jan.1[SUP]st[/SUP] and they'll start crashing the doors of the recreational pot stores. They're probably going to allow quite a few stores to get set up and running good before they start slamming bud tenders to the floor and cleaning out cash registers and marijuana stock.They'll say something like they've been watching a few months and making arrests in other states with the marijuana originating from WA and CO.
I still think this new promise is the same old bullshit like the Ogden memo. The Feds know if they do nothing then recreational legalization is going to sweep across the nation being pushed for and fought for like mad fast. Raiding WA and CO pot stores will send a message to other state politicians that they will face the same thing if they pass recreational legalization. All it will accomplish for the Feds is buying them a little more time before other states buck up to them and pass recreational legalization anyway.
