James Cole

Marijuana decision from feds unlikely in near future due to reporter spying, Tea Party scandals

During a conference call shortly after the November 2012 passage of Amendment 64, Governor John Hickenlooper and Colorado Attorney General John Suthers encouraged U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to make announcing the federal government's response to the bill a priority. Then, in March, Holder sai ... More >>

Amendment 64: Feds will threaten lawsuit or arrests to stop implementation, predicts DU prof

Colorado's voters may have approved Amendment 64, but the federal government is unlikely to allow implementation of the marijuana measure and will probably threaten to sue or begin making arrests to stop it. That's the prediction of Sam Kamin, a University of Denver professor and national expert on ... More >>

Video: 60 Minutes offers nation a primer on Colorado medical marijuana

In recent years, Colorado's medical marijuana business has been chronicled by news purveyors as varied as National Geographic (via the program American Weed) and The Daily Show (which featured our MMJ critic, William Breathes). Last night, 60 Minutes weighed in with its own report, offering a somewh ... More >>

Medical marijuana superstores possible federal targets in Colorado?

U.S. Attorney John Walsh has sent out two waves of closure-threat letters to medical marijuana dispensaries near schools -- and his spokesman reveals that a third wave is coming. But could Walsh's targets in Colorado expand to so-called marijuana superstores, as has taken place in California? His of ... More >>

Medical marijuana groups ask President Obama to call off MMJ crackdowns

At 2 p.m., hours before President Barack Obama is scheduled to speak at CU-Boulder, members of Colorado's medical marijuana industry will stage a press conference at which they'll ask the commander in chief to order call off federal law-enforcers such as U.S. Attorney John Walsh, whose seizure-threa ... More >>

Marijuana activists form Patient Voter Project, blast Obama's MMJ policies

At 11 a.m. today, a rally will take place outside President Barack Obama's local campaign headquarters. But the participants won't be calling for his reelection -- at least not yet. Instead, the charter members of the Patient Voter Project, made up of numerous prominent marijuana advocates, will be ... More >>

Marijuana: U.S. Attorney "not bluffing" about seizing dispensaries near schools

Attorney Rob Corry unwittingly provided U.S. Attorney John Walsh with a make-my-day moment. Corry recently told 9News that seizure letters sent to 23 dispensaries near schools were a "colossal bluff." During a round of media interviews, Walsh begged to differ. "We are not bluffing," he says. "We sen ... More >>

Pot shop seizure letters decried by National Cannabis Industry Association

​Last week, U.S. Attorney John Walsh sent letters to 23 medical marijuana dispensaries within 1,000 feet of schools, threatening seizure if they don't close by next month -- an act that caused centers to scramble for scarce new locations and made some owners consider shutting down for good. Ag ... More >>

Medical marijuana: 23 dispensaries targeted by U.S. Attorney only "first wave"

John Walsh.​Update: U.S. Attorney John Walsh's letter to 23 medical marijuana dispensaries within 1,000 feet of schools, which threatens seizure and forfeiture if they don't stop operating within 45 days, is a blow to the state's MMJ industry. And spokesman Jeff Dorschner stresses that it won' ... More >>

Med. marijuana: Eric Holder okay with lawful MMCs, but do threats remain?

Video below.​This week, Congressman Jared Polis quizzed U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder about the Department of Justice's approach to medical marijuana; see a video of the exchange below. For the most part, Holder suggested that MMJ businesses following state law are not Department of Justic ... More >>

Medical marijuana: DEA could raid any day, but we go to work anyway, says dispensary staffer

​Last week, a spokesman for Representative Jared Polis expressed disappointment with a Justice Department medical marijuana memo that some in the MMJ industry saw as paving the way for DEA raids on dispensaries. Polis doesn't think such incidents are imminent, and neither does Colorado Dispens ... More >>

Medical marijuana: Jared Polis disappointed in Justice Dept. memo but doubts sky is falling

Jared Polis.​Last week, Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole sent a memo to U.S. attorneys about medical marijuana -- and rather than diminishing the paranoia of MMJ industry types in the wake of an earlier memo by U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag hinting at possible dispensary raids, it amplified ... More >>

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