Inslee Meets With U.S. Attorney General To Discuss Pot Law

Washington Governor Jay Inslee and State Attorney General Bob Ferguson met with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in the nation’s capitol Tuesday.

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Credit U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder wants clarification of how pot will be taxed and regulated.

The subject: Washington’s new law allowing recreational use of marijuana, and how the federal government will respond to it. Smoking pot remains a federal offense.

Inslee called the meeting Tuesday the start of a discussion. He held a conference call with reporters after the meeting, and said Holder asked a lot of questions.

Specifically, Inslee said Holder wants clarification of how pot will be taxed and regulated. He says there was also concern about how Washington plans to make sure that regulated marijuana is only consumed within Washington’s borders.

“That is going to involve advising him of efforts that our State Patrol and other law enforcement agencies will be involved in," Inslee says. "I have already had with Chief Batiste a discussion, and a document we will be providing Attorney General Holder about efforts we will be making to assure that, to the extent humanely possible, this initiative essentially moves forward just for people within the state of Washington.”

Inslee told reporters he is confident that the U.S. Attorney General will give Washington time to answer the questions he raised, without first filing a lawsuit against the voter-approved initiative.

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