Pubdate: Mon, 19 Jan 2015
Source: Casper Star-Tribune (WY)
Copyright: 2015 Lee Enterprises
Contact:  http://www.trib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/765
Author: Laura Hancock

MEAD SUPPORTS SUING FEDS, NOT COLORADO OVER LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA

CHEYENNE -- Gov. Matt Mead believes Wyomingites are likely purchasing 
legal marijuana in Colorado and taking it home, and he blames the 
federal government, he said Friday.

At an annual gathering of the Wyoming Press Association at the Little 
America Hotel, Mead talked about his opposition to legalization.

Meanwhile, just miles away at the state Capitol, a handful of 
marijuana bills aimed at decriminalizing the drug or legalizing it 
for medical use were before the Legislature.

Mead said the attorney general studied the lawsuit Oklahoma and 
Nebraska filed in December against Colorado but decided it wasn't the 
best way to proceed strategically.

"I'm a states' rights guy, and I believe in that," Mead said. "My 
position, if we could get there, wouldn't be to sue the state of 
Colorado. It would be to sue the federal government."

Mead said he was frustrated that the U.S. Department of Justice was 
ignoring portions of the law by allowing Colorado's legalization experiment.

"In effect you are changing the law, and that should be an act of 
Congress and not an act of an individual man," he said.

Mead acknowledged that Colorado may be sweeping in tens of millions 
in revenue, thanks to the taxes on marijuana.

But he asked what Colorado's costs are for law enforcement, substance 
abuse treatment and additional marijuana that could flood the black 
market, weed desired by people who do not want to pay taxes.

"We will watch and see," he said regarding Colorado. "I don't think 
it's the right direction for Wyoming."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom