The Supreme Court of the United States voted 6-2 on Monday to dismiss a lawsuit that was filed against Colorado by two of its neighboring states for its recently-reformed marijuana laws.
If the justices had chosen to accept the case, the ensuing litigation may have lead to a drawn-out legal battle that could have spanned years.
“This was a meritless lawsuit, and the court made the right decision,” wrote Mason Tvert in a written statement for the Marijuana Policy Project.
“States have every right to regulate the cultivation and sale of marijuana, just as Nebraska and Oklahoma have the right to maintain their failed prohibition policies. Colorado has done more to control marijuana than just about any other state in the nation. It will continue to set an example for other states that are considering similar laws in legislatures and at the ballot box.”
Oklahoma and Nebraska could bring their lawsuit to a federal district court if they wish to continue pursuing the case, but they haven’t announced yet one way or another what their exact intentions are.
Doug Peterson, Attorney General of Nebraska, said that he was disappointed in the court’s ruling and that his office will be “working with its partners in Oklahoma and other states to determine the best next steps toward vindicating the rule of law.”
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