The Rohrbacher-Farr Amendment is a provision that prohibits the federal government (Department of Justice) from prosecuting medical cannabis operations that are in compliance with state law. This Amendment was first passed in 2014 and has been enacted by Congress in every subsequent year. In 2016, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals essentially ruled that the Amendment prevented DOJ from spending money on prosecutions against state-compliant medical cannabis operators. Now, according to the petitioner asking for the Supreme Court to weigh in, the First Circuit has interpreted the Amendment differently and is asking for the Supreme Court to resolve the meaning and effect of the Amendment once and for all.
