Both of Colorado’s neighbors are suing the state over the amount marijuana across state lines.
Last January, Colorado opened the first legal marijuana store after voters opted to legalize weed in 2012 — sounds great, right?Haha. But now, both Oklahoma and Nebraska want the law that allows marijuana consumption in Colorado to be overturned; claiming it’s a huge strain on legal resources.
Weed is still illegal in both Oklahoma and Nebraska, so anyone who buys the drug legally in Colorado and then brings it over state lines will break both local and federal law. The states claim that the discrepancy in weed regulation has been “draining their treasuries, and placing stress on their criminal justice system.” They don’t want any financial compensation — they just want to see weed banned again in Colorado, whose new legalization still conflicts with federal prohibition of the drug.
“The State of Colorado has created a dangerous gap in the federal drug control system,” claims the lawsuit, which has been filed by Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning and Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt. At a recent press conference, Bruning added, “While Colorado reaps millions from the production and sale of pot, Nebraska taxpayers have to bear the cost.” Colorado Attorney General John Suthers, however, has stated that the lawsuit is “without merit.”
As of now, it’s legal for adults over 21 to buy up to an ounce of pot from authorized retailers in Colorado. Sellers have already made millions from Colorado’s policy.