Federal judge dismisses Arizona medical-marijuana suit

January 5, 2012

Phoenix, Arizona: US District Judge Susan Bolton dismissed a lawsuit yesterday filed by Arizona claiming a state law passed by voters in 2010 that legalized medical-marijuana put state workers at risk for federal prosecution and imprisonment due to conflict with federal drug law. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, who opposed the measure, has sought to block the creation of marijuana dispensaries allowed by the law - claiming that state employees charged with regulating the dispensaries are at risk for federal prosecution. Bolton ruled that the state had not established a “genuine threat of imminent prosecution” and dismissed the case.

A spokesman for Governor Brewer's office expressed great disappointment over the ruling. Joe Yuhas, spokesman for the Arizona Medical Marijuana Association, said of the ruling “We would hope that our state leaders will now recognize it is time to stop wasting taxpayer dollars in an effort to thwart the will of the voters and move ahead with full implementation of the initiative."