Washington Officials Are Worried Medical Marijuana Could Cut Tax Revenue From Legal Recreational Marijuana

Legal recreational pot will be available in 2014

Washington state's new law legalizing pot is hitting a major snag from an unlikely source -- medical marijuana.

There is growing concern among state officials that as long as medical marijuana is largely unregulated and untaxed, its popularity will cut into the tax revenue expected when pot legally goes on sale for recreational use in 2014.

"People thought there were going to be laws surrounding it," said Washington state Republican Sen. Ann Rivers. "Medical marijuana is an avenue to sidestep the laws and regulations and the revenue."