Cole Memorandum

[3][4] On August 29, 2013, the Department of Justice published a memorandum authored by Cole which described a new set of priorities for federal prosecutors operating in states which had legalized the medical or other use of marijuana.

States with legalized cannabis were concerned about the incoming Trump administration's handling of the Cole Memo and their congressional representatives and governors saw Attorney General Jeff Sessions as adamantly opposed to its continuation.

[9] The federal government's position was vague, with Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein saying in mid-June "maybe there will be changes to it [the Cole Memorandum] in the future, but we're still operating under that policy".

[10] Around June 2017, a Justice Department task force was convened to review the Cole Memo and other Obama-era decisions; it was headed by Michael Murray, Counsel to Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein.

[20] He reiterated the statement that the Justice Department under his leadership would not pursue cases against Americans "complying with the laws in states that have legalized and are effectively regulating marijuana", in written responses to the Senate Judiciary Committee provided around March 1.