The Rohrabacher–Farr amendment (also known as the Rohrabacher–Blumenauer amendment) is legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Maurice Hinchey in 2001, prohibiting the Justice Department from spending funds to interfere with the implementation of state medical cannabis laws. It passed the House in May 2014 after six previously failed attempts, becoming law in December 2014 as part of an omnibus spending bill. The passage of the amendment was the first time either chamber of Congress had voted to protect medical cannabis patients, and is viewed as a historic victory for cannabis reform advocates at the federal level.[1] The amendment does not change the legal status of cannabis, however, and must be renewed each fiscal year in order to remain in effect.[2]
Legislative history
First introduced by Rep. Hinchey in 2001, the amendment was withdrawn before it could be brought to a vote.[3] In 2003, Hinchey joined with Rep. Dana Rohrabacher to re-introduce the amendment, leading to a 152–273 defeat the first time the amendment was voted on.[3] The Hinchey–Rohrabacher amendment failed five more times over the next decade, until it passed the House (as the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment) by a 219–189 vote on May 30, 2014, as an attachment to the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2015.[4] The amendment was then introduced in the Senate by Sens. Rand Paul and Cory Booker on June 18,[5] but was not allowed a vote.[6] In December, however, the amendment was inserted into the $1.1 trillion "cromnibus" spending bill during final negotiations,[7] and the bill was signed into law by President Obama on December 16, 2014.[8]
The Rohrabacher–Farr amendment passed the House for a second time on June 3, 2015, by a 242–186 margin.[9] It was voted on by members of the Senate for the first time on June 11, 2015, winning approval in a 21–9 Senate Appropriations Committee vote led by sponsor Barbara Mikulski.[10] The amendment remained in the FY 2016 omnibus appropriations bill that was signed into law by President Obama on December 18, 2015.[11][12]
The Rohrabacher–Farr amendment was not voted on by the House in 2016, but did pass the Senate Appropriations Committee for a second time on April 21, 2016, by a 21–8 vote.[13] The amendment was later renewed through a pair of spending bills signed into law on September 29 and December 10,[14][15] and again for an additional week on April 28, 2017.[16]
On May 5, 2017, the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment was renewed through September 30, 2017, as part of a $1 trillion spending bill signed into law by President Trump. In regards to the medical cannabis provision, Trump added a signing statement that read: "Division B, section 537 provides that the Department of Justice may not use any funds to prevent implementation of medical marijuana laws by various States and territories. I will treat this provision consistently with my constitutional responsibility to take care that the laws be faithfully executed."[17][18] Days before the spending bill was signed into law, Attorney General Jeff Sessions wrote to congressional leaders urging that the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment not be renewed.[19]
On July 27, 2017, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved inclusion of the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment in the CJS appropriations bill for fiscal year 2018, in a voice vote led by sponsor Sen. Patrick Leahy.[20] On September 6, however, the House Committee on Rules blocked a vote on the amendment, due to Republican leadership viewing it as too divisive.[21] The amendment was then renewed on September 8 as part of an emergency aid package,[22] and again through a series of stopgap spending bills on December 8,[23] December 22,[24] January 22,[25] and February 9.[26] On March 23 the amendment was renewed as part of the FY 2018 omnibus spending bill, in effect through September 30, 2018.[27]
On May 17, 2018, the House Appropriations Committee approved inclusion of the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment in the CJS appropriations bill for fiscal year 2019, in a voice vote led by sponsor Rep. David Joyce.[28] The Senate Appropriations Committee followed on June 12 by approving a base CJS appropriations bill with the amendment included.[29] The amendment was then renewed through a series of short-term spending bills signed on September 28,[30] December 7,[31][32] and January 25.[33] On February 15 the amendment was renewed through the signing of the FY 2019 omnibus spending bill, effective through September 30, 2019.[34] President Trump added a signing statement regarding the amendment similar to the one he added in May 2017.[35]
On May 16, 2019, a House subcommittee released a base appropriations bill with the amendment included.[36] On September 26 the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a base appropriations bill with the amendment included.[37][38] On September 27 the amendment was renewed through a stopgap spending bill,[39] and again on November 21.[40] On December 20 the amendment was renewed through the signing of the FY 2020 omnibus spending bill, effective through September 30, 2020.[41][42] President Trump added a signing statement regarding the amendment similar to the ones he added in May 2017 and February 2019.[43]
In July 2020, a House subcommittee introduced a base appropriations bill with the amendment included.[44] The amendment was then renewed through a series of stopgap spending bills on October 1,[45] December 11,[46] December 18,[47] December 20,[48] and December 22.[49] On December 27 the amendment was renewed with the signing of the FY 2021 omnibus spending bill, effective through September 30, 2021.[50][51]
In 2021, President Joe Biden became the first president to propose a budget incorporating the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment.[52] The amendment was then renewed through a series of stopgap spending bills on September 30,[53] December 3,[54] February 18,[55] and March 11.[56] On March 15 the amendment was renewed through the signing of the FY 2022 omnibus spending bill, effective through September 30, 2022.[57][58]
As of November 16, 2023, the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment is effective through February 2, 2024.[59][60]
House votes
The Rohrabacher–Farr amendment has been introduced on the House floor nine times. It was known as the Hinchey–Rohrabacher amendment until Rep. Hinchey retired in January 2013, after which Reps. Dana Rohrabacher and Sam Farr took over as lead sponsor and co-sponsor.[3] Rep. Farr then retired in January 2017 with Rep. Earl Blumenauer taking over as lead co-sponsor.[61]
The vote totals for the amendment are as follows:
Year | Ayes | Noes | Not voting | Over-view | Roll call |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | – | – | – | Link | – |
2003 | 152 | 273 | 9 | Link | Link |
2004 | 148 | 268 | 17 | Link | Link |
2005 | 161 | 264 | 8 | Link | Link |
2006 | 163 | 259 | 10 | Link | Link |
2007 | 165 | 262 | 10 | Link | Link |
2012 | 163 | 262 | 6 | Link | Link |
2014 | 219 | 189 | 23 | Link | Link |
2015 | 242 | 186 | 4 | Link | Link |
The passage of the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment in 2014 was noted for its rare bipartisan support,[62] garnering the approval of 49 Republicans and 170 Democrats.[63] Among the notable "no" votes was DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who was the only member of Democratic leadership to vote against it.[64] The medical cannabis advocacy group Americans for Safe Access subsequently targeted Schultz with a TV ad criticizing her vote against the amendment.[64]
The Rohrabacher–Farr amendment passed the House in 2015 with the support of 67 Republicans and 175 Democrats.[65]
Amendment text
The full text of the 2014 House amendment was as follows:[66]
None of the funds made available in this Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with respect to the States of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, to prevent such States from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.
Implementation
The Rohrabacher–Farr amendment became law in December 2014, but initially failed to have its intended impact, due to the Justice Department interpreting the amendment in an incorrect manner (as later determined by a pair of court rulings). Contrary to the amendment's popular interpretation, the DOJ argued that only state officials were protected from prosecution, and not private individuals or entities involved in the production or distribution of medical cannabis.[67] Since state officials were not being prosecuted to begin with, the DOJ's position was essentially that the amendment had no effect.[68] This stance conflicted with the DOJ's earlier position (leading up to the May 2014 vote), when it advised members of Congress that the amendment's protections could actually apply more broadly than intended, to cover recreational cannabis as well.[69]
After the amendment's enactment, DOJ enforcement efforts continued (per the new interpretation) against medical cannabis providers who were following state law.[70] These prosecutions drew protests from Rohrabacher and others,[71][72] who charged that both the letter and the spirit of the amendment were being violated.[73] The DOJ publicly addressed the matter for the first time in April 2015, when a spokesperson confirmed the much more narrow interpretation of the amendment that was being employed.[74] In response, both Rohrabacher and Farr strongly denounced the interpretation, and a letter was sent to Attorney General Eric Holder demanding an end to the prosecutions.[75][76] A letter was also sent to Inspector General Michael Horowitz in July 2015, seeking a government investigation into the matter.[77][78]
In October 2015, a court ruling by U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer affirmed the meaning of Rohrabacher–Farr as its authors intended, providing supporters of the amendment with a key legal victory.[79] Judge Breyer in his decision was especially critical of the DOJ interpretation, stating that it "defies language and logic" and "tortures the plain meaning of the statute", and was "counterintuitive and opportunistic".[80] The ruling lifted an injunction against a California dispensary, the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana, and was considered to set important legal precedent inhibiting future prosecutions.[81][82] The Justice Department appealed Breyer's ruling, but in April 2016 it withdrew the appeal.[83][84] In August 2016, the DOJ interpretation was rejected by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals as well, in a separate case consolidating the appeals of 10 medical cannabis providers in the states of California and Washington.[85] The unanimous ruling of the three-judge panel is binding on the nine western states of the Ninth Circuit, and is considered likely to hold influence on other circuit courts.[86][87]
References
- ↑ Lopez, German (May 30, 2014). "The House just voted to protect medical marijuana patients from federal interference". Vox. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Sullum, Jacob (January 4, 2016). "The Federal Ban on Medical Marijuana Was Not Lifted". Reason. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Angell, Tom (November 24, 2017). "Federal Medical Marijuana Amendment Author Dies At 79". Marijuana Moment. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
- ↑ Sherer, Steph (May 31, 2014). "First major victory in the fight to end federal interference". Americans for Safe Access. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Ferner, Matt; Reilly, Ryan J. (June 19, 2014). "Senate Could Follow House In Blocking DEA From Targeting Medical Marijuana". The Huffington Post. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Piper, Bill (December 15, 2014). "A Decade of Hard Work Turns into Historic Marijuana Victory in Congress". Drug Policy Alliance. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Liszewski, Mike (December 10, 2014). "Congress Set to Pass Landmark Medical Marijuana Legislation". Americans for Safe Access. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Hermes, Kris (December 29, 2014). "Feds Back off Medical Marijuana Enforcement in 32 States and DC". Americans for Safe Access. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ "Rohrabacher Hails Passage of Medical Marijuana Amendment" (Press release). June 4, 2015. Archived from the original on November 9, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Liszewski, Mike (June 11, 2015). "Senate Committee Approves Mikulski Medical Marijuana Amendment with Strong Bipartisan Support". Americans for Safe Access. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Liszewski, Mike (December 16, 2015). "Congress Set to Reauthorize the Rohrabacher-Farr Medical Cannabis Amendment". Americans for Safe Access. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Sherer, Steph (December 21, 2015). "Congress Extends 'Ceasefire' On Medical Marijuana, but Can They Clear the Smoke?". The Huffington Post. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Angell, Tom (April 21, 2016). "Senators Vote to Bar DEA From Harassing Medical Marijuana Patients". marijuana.com. Archived from the original on January 4, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
- ↑ Phillips, Nick (September 29, 2016). "BREAKING: Rohrabacher-Farr Extended Until December". The Marijuana Times. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
- ↑ Liszewski, Mike (December 12, 2016). "Congress Votes to Extend Rohrabacher-Farr Through April". Americans for Safe Access. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
- ↑ "Federal medical cannabis protections extended another week". Marijuana Business Daily. April 28, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
- ↑ Angell, Tom (May 8, 2017). "Trump Might Ignore Congress's Medical Marijuana Rider". MassRoots. Archived from the original on June 1, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
- ↑ Sullum, Jacob (May 8, 2017). "Trump's Medical Marijuana Threat Contradicts the Law and His Own Position". Reason. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
- ↑ Angell, Tom (June 12, 2017). "Exclusive: Sessions Asks Congress To Undo Medical Marijuana Protections". MassRoots. Archived from the original on July 21, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ↑ Angell, Tom (July 27, 2017). "Senators OK State Medical Marijuana Protections, Rejecting Sessions". MassRoots. Archived from the original on August 18, 2017. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
- ↑ Labak, Aleta (September 6, 2017). "GOP-led House Rules Committee blocks voting on bipartisan marijuana amendments". The Cannabist. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- ↑ Schroyer, John (September 8, 2017). "Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Amendment extended until December". Marijuana Business Daily. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- ↑ Pasquariello, Alex; Wallace, Alicia (December 8, 2017). "Federal marijuana protections safe for now with stopgap spending bill". The Cannabist. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
- ↑ Pasquariello, Alex (December 22, 2017). "Trump signs stopgap spending bill extending federal medical marijuana protections for a few more weeks". The Cannabist. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ↑ Hodes, David (January 22, 2018). "Senate Revives Gov't, and Medical Marijuana Protections, Until Feb. 8". Leafly. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
- ↑ Schroyer, John (February 9, 2018). "Federal medical cannabis protection extended again". Marijuana Business Daily. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
- ↑ "Trump signs spending bill that includes medical marijuana protections". Marijuana Business Daily. March 23, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
- ↑ Smith, Jeff (May 17, 2018). "Powerful congressional panel puts medical marijuana protections in federal budget". Marijuana Business Daily. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
- ↑ "Medical Marijuana Protections Included in Senate CJS Appropriations Bill". Marijuana Policy Project. June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- ↑ Sink, Justin; Wasson, Erik (September 28, 2018). "Trump Signs Bill Averting Government Shutdown Before Midterms". Bloomberg. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
- ↑ Werner, Erica (December 7, 2018). "Trump signs short-term spending bill keeping government funded through Dec. 21". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
- ↑ Jaeger, Kyle (December 11, 2018). "Trump Threatens Government Shutdown, Raising Concern For Legal Marijuana Industry". Marijuana Moment. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
- ↑ Foran, Clare (January 25, 2019). "Trump signs bill to reopen the government after record shutdown". CNN. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
- ↑ "Congress extends state-legal medical cannabis programs' protections timing". Marijuana Business Daily. February 19, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
- ↑ Angell, Tom (February 15, 2019). "Trump Issues Signing Statement On Medical Marijuana Provision Of Funding Bill". Marijuana Moment. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
- ↑ Jaeger, Kyle (May 16, 2019). "Democratic Congressional Bill Protects Medical Cannabis But Not Broader State Marijuana Laws". Marijuana Moment. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ↑ Jaeger, Kyle (September 26, 2019). "Senate Committee Declines To Expand State Marijuana Protections In Spending Bill". Marijuana Moment. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ↑ Angell, Tom (September 24, 2019). "Senate Committee Includes State Medical Marijuana Protections In Spending Bill". Marijuana Moment. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ↑ Emma, Caitlin (September 27, 2019). "Trump signs stopgap spending bill to avoid a shutdown". Politico. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ↑ Pramuk, Jacob (November 21, 2019). "Trump signs spending bill into law, dodging a government shutdown for another month". CNBC. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
- ↑ Jaeger, Kyle (December 20, 2019). "Congress Attaches Marijuana, Hemp And CBD Provisions To Federal Spending Bills". Marijuana Moment. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ↑ Shutt, Jennifer (December 20, 2019). "Trump signs spending bills, averts shutdown". Roll Call. Archived from the original on December 26, 2019. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ↑ Angell, Tom (December 21, 2019). "Trump Says He Can Ignore Medical Marijuana Protections Passed By Congress". Forbes. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ↑ Adlin, Ben (July 7, 2020). "House Includes Marijuana Protections For States, Banks And Universities In Funding Bills". Marijuana Moment. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
- ↑ Lerman, David (September 30, 2020). "Trump signs stopgap funding bill, averting government shutdown". Roll Call. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
- ↑ Foran, Clare; Raju, Manu (December 11, 2020). "Trump signs stopgap funding bill to avert shutdown at midnight". CNN. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
- ↑ Pramuk, Jacob (December 18, 2020). "Trump signs two-day funding bill as Congress rushes to finalize spending, Covid relief deal". CNBC. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
- ↑ Chalfant, Morgan (December 20, 2020). "Trump signs bill extending government funding for 24 hours". The Hill. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
- ↑ "Trump signs stopgap funding bill; Congress awaits his approval of $892 billion COVID aid". Reuters. December 22, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
- ↑ Johnstone, Liz (December 27, 2020). "In reversal, Trump signs spending bill, unlocking Covid aid and averting shutdown". NBC News. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
- ↑ Jaeger, Kyle (December 21, 2020). "Congressional Funding Bill Restores Financial Aid For Students With Drug Convictions, And Has Other Marijuana Provisions". Marijuana Moment. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
- ↑ Jaeger, Kyle (May 28, 2021). "Biden Budget Keeps Medical Marijuana Protections But Would Block D.C. From Legalizing Recreational Sales". Marijuana Moment. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
- ↑ Pramuk, Jacob (September 30, 2021). "Biden signs temporary funding bill to prevent government shutdown". CNBC. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
- ↑ Freking, Kevin; Mascaro, Lisa (December 3, 2021). "Biden signs stopgap funding bill to keep government running". Associated Press. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
- ↑ Samuels, Brett (February 18, 2022). "Biden signs bill to extend funding, avoid government shutdown". The Hill. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- ↑ Chalfant, Morgan (March 11, 2022). "Biden signs stopgap funding bill to avert shutdown". The Hill. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
- ↑ Pramuk, Jacob (March 15, 2022). "Biden signs government funding bill that includes $13.6 billion in Ukraine aid". CNBC. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
- ↑ Jaeger, Kyle (March 9, 2022). "Congress Keeps D.C. Marijuana Sales Ban In Place But Continues Protections For Medical Cannabis States In Spending Legislation". Marijuana Moment. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
- ↑ Wong, Scott; Santaliz, Kate (November 16, 2023). "Biden signs funding bill, averting a government shutdown". NBC News. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
- ↑ Jaeger, Kyle (December 20, 2022). "Congress Keeps Ban On D.C. Marijuana Sales While Failing To Act On Cannabis Banking And Expungements". Marijuana Moment. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ↑ Wallace, Alicia (April 10, 2017). "44 in Congress support effort to keep DOJ handcuffed in medical cannabis states". The Cannabist. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
- ↑ Dumain, Emma (May 30, 2014). "House Marijuana Votes Earn Backing of Rare Bipartisan Coalition (Video)". Roll Call. Archived from the original on January 3, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
- ↑ "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 258". house.gov. May 30, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
- 1 2 Ferner, Matt (June 5, 2014). "New Ads Target Members Of Congress Who Opposed Medical Marijuana Measure". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
- ↑ "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 283". house.gov. June 3, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
- ↑ "Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015; Congressional Record Vol. 160, No. 82". congress.gov. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ↑ Sullum, Jacob (August 6, 2015). "The Justice Department's Embarrassing Medical Marijuana Switcheroo". Reason. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
- ↑ Ingraham, Christopher (August 6, 2015). "How the Justice Department seems to have misled Congress on medical marijuana". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
- ↑ Angell, Tom (August 5, 2015). "Exclusive: Justice Department Admits Misleading Congress on Marijuana Vote". marijuana.com. Archived from the original on September 17, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
- ↑ Zilversmit, Marc (April 28, 2016). "Obama's Iran-Contra – The president is spending money that Congress has explicitly told him he can't spend". Slate. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
- ↑ Downs, David (February 16, 2015). "Congressman blasts San Francisco medical pot prosecutions". Smell the Truth. SFGate. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Sullum, Jacob (February 17, 2015). "Is the DOJ Defying Congress by Pursuing Medical Marijuana Cases?". Reason. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Reaction / response by Reps. Farr, Rohrabacher and Lee on Harborside Health Center court case (PDF), February 13, 2015, archived from the original (PDF) on March 15, 2015
- ↑ Downs, David (April 3, 2015). "Updated: War on California Medical Marijuana Will Continue, Justice Department Says". Legalization Nation. East Bay Express. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Liszewski, Mike (April 8, 2015). "Reps. Rohrabacher and Farr Send Letter to DOJ to Cease Federal Prosecutions". Americans for Safe Access. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ "Farr and Rohrabacher tell Attorney General: Stop prosecuting medical marijuana cases" (Press release). April 8, 2015. Archived from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Sullum, Jacob (July 31, 2015). "Congressmen Ask DOJ Inspector General to Investigate Continued Harassment of Medical Marijuana Patients and Providers". Reason. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ "Rohrabacher, Farr Call for Probe of DOJ's Illegal Med Pot Prosecutions" (Press release). July 31, 2015. Archived from the original on November 9, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Reilly, Molly (October 20, 2015). "Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Win Battle Against Federal Crackdown". HuffPost. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
- ↑ Ingraham, Christopher (October 20, 2015). "Federal court tells the DEA to stop harassing medical marijuana providers". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Downs, David (October 19, 2015). "Major victory for marijuana dispensary in federal court". Smell the Truth. SFGate. Archived from the original on July 28, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Downs, David (October 21, 2015). "'We Won the War!': Reaction to Landmark Medical Marijuana Ruling". Legalization Nation. East Bay Express. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Sullum, Jacob (April 14, 2016). "DOJ Accepts Decision Saying It May Not Target State-Legal Medical Marijuana Suppliers". Reason. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ "Feds Finally End 18-Year Fight Against MMJ Pioneer Lynnette Shaw". Leafly. April 13, 2016. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Ferner, Matt (August 16, 2016). "The Largest Federal Appeals Court Tells DOJ To Back Off State-Legal Medical Marijuana". The Huffington Post. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Dolan, Maura (August 16, 2016). "Feds can't spend money to prosecute people who comply with state medical pot laws, court rules". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ↑ Liszewski, Mike (August 16, 2016). "Victory – Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment Continues to Help Medical Marijuana Defendants in Federal Court". Americans for Safe Access. Retrieved January 4, 2017.