TULSA -- Oklahoma medical marijuana operators worried that they'll face legal difficulties because federal law still classifies marijuana as illegal were warned by a federal law enforcement officer that those growing medical marijuana do so "at their own risk."
Shawn Jenkins told The Tulsa World he feels "really comfortable" as he prepares to open a dispensary in Oklahoma.
"I feel pretty good about my due diligence," he said. "I feel like we've mitigated all the risks that were posed."
But Jenkins said others have had mixed feelings about the issue. He said some believe the strong voter approval of medical marijuana and steps to implement the state law will protect them.
In January, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions wrote a memo that left the decision regarding marijuana enforcement to local federal prosecutors.
"In deciding which marijuana activities to prosecute ... with the department's finite resources, prosecutors should follow the well-established principles that govern all federal prosecutions," Sessions said.
U.S. Attorney Trent Shores, the top federal law enforcement officer in northeast Oklahoma, said he's committed to enforcing federal law but is uncertain how he'll allocate his office's limited resources.
"My job is to enforce federal law, and federal law says that it is illegal to possess, cultivate or to distribute marijuana," he said. "Anybody who engages in an activity that involves a violation of federal law does so at their own risk."
Shores said it's difficult to know how many resources will be allocated to enforcing marijuana laws given other issues, such as violent crime and opioids.