An Environmental Argument for a Consistent Federal Policy on Marijuana

The federal government has dealt with the increasing trend towards states legalizing marijuana for medicinal and recreational use in conflicting ways. While marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, recent general federal policy has discouraged intervention in state legalization. This approach has resulted in conflicting federal policies and created uncertainty for state-legal marijuana growers and sellers. This Note explores the environmental consequences of state and federal policies on marijuana, particularly water and energy resources, and argues that the development of a consistent and reliable federal policy towards marijuana would help to minimize its negative environmental impacts.