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N.J. AG Awaiting Fed's Response About Medical Marijuana Prosecution

NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – New Jersey officials are awaiting responses from federal prosecutors whether licensed medical marijuana sellers would face arrest.

LISTEN: WCBS 880's Levon Putney reports

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State Attorney General Paula Dow said she sent a letter asking if feds would prosecute state workers involved in the state's medical marijuana program after hearing the answer Washington state got.

"They asked for clarification on whether there will be enforcement actions taken and whether employees will be immune and were told that they will not be," Dow said.

Dow said that she has concerns about the protection and immunity of state employees.

State Sen. Nicholas Scutari, one of the measure's original sponsors, has said that the U.S. attorney general has already said they wouldn't actively prosecute medical marijuana sellers.

"It's illegal and illegitimate businesses that they would target and continue to target with respect to the drug trade," Scutari said. "I think we're going to be the last people that the federal government is going to target, especially given that the New Jersey plan is the strictest one in the entire nation."

Scutari said that it doesn't look like the state is in a hurry to start the program to help patients ease their pain.

What do you think? Should state workers in the medical marijuana program be protected? Tell us your thoughts in our comments section below.

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