Attorney General Merrick Garland said that Department of Justice resources are not put to the best use prosecuting marijuana-related offenses whether or not states have cannabis legalization laws on the books.

This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and has been reposted with permission.

Could the DOJ make some waves with a cannabis reform announcement soon? According to Seeking Alpha and Marijuana Moment, Attorney General Merrick Garland clarified the department’s stance on prosecuting cannabis crimes in legal and non-legal states. He says the department’s resources are better spent on violent crimes and actions that harm society more than cannabis.

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Recently, the DOJ started an investigation into how the FBI is calculating marijuana arrest data.

Seeking Alpha summarized Garland’s released interview:

• Attorney General Merrick Garland said that Department of Justice resources are not put to the best use prosecuting marijuana-related offenses whether or not states have cannabis legalization laws on the books.
• Garland, who appeared before a Senate subcommittee in April where marijuana issues were brought up, made the comments as part of written responses to Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). Marijuana Moment first reported Garland’s responses.
• Garland noted that the department’s resources are better spent on “violent crimes and other crimes that cause societal harm and endanger our communities.”
• The attorney general also indicated that DOJ may be tackling marijuana issues more generally soon. “The Department is examining a range of issues that relate to marijuana and its production, sale, and use, and we intend to address these issues in the days ahead.”

This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and has been reposted with permission.