The U.S. Department of Justice says it won鈥檛 stop marijuana legalization in Colorado and Washington. Thursday鈥檚 announcement means Colorado鈥檚 pot shops could open as early as January.
鈥淚鈥檓 really pretty ecstatic with this announcement. It signals a very positive shift on marijuana laws,鈥� said Brian Vicente with supporter . 鈥淭his really answers the unanswered question for years, what happens if Colorado legalizes Marijuana?鈥�
鈥淎nd now we know, they鈥檙e going to step aside and let us move forward with strict regulations,鈥� said Vicente.
For months the federal government has been . Attorney General Eric Holder broke his silence , as long as they follow state laws.
While the marijuana industry says it鈥檚 a huge weight lifted, there are remaining concerns. Like the issue of .
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of those areas where the federal government has really been interfering with the Colorado program and in turn creating a public safety issue, by not allowing businesses to have access to banking,鈥� said Mike Elliot head of the .
Congress will soon be taking up the topic of marijuana regulations. The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing September 10 to discuss federal oversight and how state and federal marijuana laws interact.
Attorney General Holder has been invited to speak at the hearing.
This fall voters across Colorado will decide how .
