DOJ Admits Legalized Cannabis Fuels Tourism In Bid To Dismiss Industry Lawsuit Challenging Fed Prohibition

Source: Benzinga

DOJ Admits Legalized Cannabis Fuels Tourism In Bid To Dismiss Industry Lawsuit Challenging Fed Prohibition

by Patricio Liddle
April 8, 2024 6:51 PM | 3 min read

• DOJ's court filing unveils surprising revelation: cannabis legalization driving tourism, sparking legal clash with federal prohibition.
• Legal battles escalate as DOJ cites constitutional authority, Supreme Court precedent in an attempt to dismiss cannabis industry lawsuit.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) made a bold assertion in a court filing on Friday: state cannabis legalization has bolstered tourism. This claim forms part of the DOJ’s strategy to seek dismissal of a lawsuit brought by leading cannabis companies challenging federal prohibition against state-sanctioned cannabis activities.

Why It Matters

The DOJ’s filing presented on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts brings to light part of the department’s reasons behind its intervention. This acknowledgment, reported by Marijuana Moment, highlights a rare instance of the federal government recognizing the economic benefits of cannabis legalization, particularly in tourism.

"It is rational to conclude that the regulated marijuana industry in Massachusetts fuels a different kind of marijuana-related interstate commerce: marijuana tourism," the DOJ filing says, implying a direct impact on commerce between states and therefore justifying federal oversight under the Constitution.

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Read more: https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/04/38152579/doj-admits-legalized-cannabis-fuels-tourism-in-bid-to-dismiss-industry-lawsuit-challenging-fed-p