{"id":3356,"date":"2020-12-21T07:20:07","date_gmt":"2020-12-21T07:20:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/?p=3356"},"modified":"2026-04-17T23:09:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T23:09:56","slug":"cole-memorandum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/cannabis-and-its-evolution\/cole-memorandum","title":{"rendered":"What is the Cole Memorandum?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cannabis law can be complicated because what is legal at the state level is not necessarily legal at the federal level. This contention can represent a source of confusion for those who wish to participate in their state's legal cannabis industry but are concerned about federal consequences.\u00a0The Cole Memorandum was the first critical step taken towards addressing this fundamental disconnect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The memo offered guidance for federal prosecutors considering marijuana investigations or charges in states where cannabis had been legalized. Learn its history and why it was so important on the path to fully legalized cannabis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tA brief history of the Cole Memorandum<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Cole Memorandum, or Cole Memo as it's sometimes referred to, was authored by the Justice Department's Deputy Attorney General James Cole in 2013. Drafted under the Obama administration, the memo was issued as the US cannabis landscape<\/a> began to change.\u00a0At the time, Colorado and Washington had just legalized recreational weed and were developing new rules and regulations around it. It became clear that federal guidance was needed to address the conflict between these state and federal laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t

\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Mature\n\t\t\t<\/a>Photo by: Gina Coleman\/Weedmaps<\/cite>
The Cole Memo governed federal prosecution of offenses related to cannabis, including cultivation and distribution. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\t\t\t