Federal Charges Against Maine Medical Marijuana Growers Valid

Medical marijuana growers in Maine can be prosecuted under federal drug laws even though the Department of Justice can’t spend money to enforce those laws against medical marijuana operations allowed by states, the First Circuit said.

Maine strictly regulates medical marijuana growers and only allows small operations to exist. Brian Bilodeau, Tyler Poland, and entities associated with them run a medical marijuana operation regulated by Maine.

They were charged under the federal Controlled Substances Act for running a much bigger operation than that allowed by the state, even though a congressional rider in DOJ’s annual appropriation also says that none ...