Testimony of James M. Cole
Deputy Attorney General
United States Department of Justice
Before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary September 10, 2013

Good afternoon Chairman Leahy, Ranking Member Grassley, and distinguished Members of the Committee. I am pleased to speak with you about the guidance that the Department recently issued to all United States Attorneys regarding marijuana enforcement efforts. That guidance instructs our prosecutors to continue to enforce federal priorities, such as preventing sales of marijuana by criminal enterprises, preventing violence and the use of firearms in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana, preventing distribution to minors, and preventing the cultivation of marijuana on public lands – priorities that we historically have focused on for many years – and also notes that we will continue to rely on state and local authorities to effectively enforce their own drug laws as we work together to protect our communities.

http://www.justice.gov/iso/opa/ola/witness/09-10-13-dag-cole-testimony-re-conflicts-between-state-and-federal-marijuana-law.201312231.pdf