Senator Leahy to hold hearing on federal, state pot law conflicts

Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., will hold a hearing on marijuana policy next month, saying state laws legalizing pot "should be respected." He invited Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. and Deputy Attorney General James Cole to testify at the Sept. 10 hearing, which will focus on conflicts between state and federal laws, Roll Call reported Monday. Last week, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in a statement that President Obama hasn't yet changed his view on the issue of legalized marijuana use. "It is important, especially at a time of budget constraints, to determine whether it is the best use of federal resources to prosecute the personal or medicinal use of marijuana in states that have made such consumption legal," Leahy said in a statement. "I believe that these state laws should be respected. At a minimum, there should be guidance about enforcement from the federal government."