DOJ Gives "Tacit Approval" for Legal Marijuana, Say Colorado Officials

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Colorado officials say they believe they have "tacit approval" from the U.S. Justice Department to implement voter-approved laws legalizing marijuana.

"We seem to have tacit approval at this point," State Sen. Pat Steadman, a Democrat who co-sponsored two bills establishing the state's regulations for recreational marijuana, told TPM in a phone interview Tuesday.

Another source directly involved in conversations with Justice, who asked not to be named to speak freely about private discussions, agreed with that characterization.

"They're well aware of what we've been up to," the source told TPM. "I do think that it's fair to say that we have their tacit approval at this point."