A bipartisan group of congressmen call on the attorney general to quit being an obstacle to medical marijuana research, the Colorado governor defends the state's pot law from Sessions, the Minnesota governor just says no to legalization, and more.

Colorado Governor the Latest to Stick Up for Legalization. Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) and Attorney General Cynthia Coffman (R) sent a letter Thursday to US Attorney General Jeff Sessions in response to a critical letter they received from him about the state's marijuana legalization. In the letter, they defended legalization, saying the state's laws and regulations are "effective" and detailing statistics they said buttressed their case. "The State of Colorado has worked diligently to implement the will of our citizens and build a comprehensive regulatory and enforcement system that prioritizes public safety and public health," the letter said. "When abuses and unintended consequences materialize, the state has acted quickly to address any resulting harms. While our system has proven to be effective, we are constantly evaluating and seeking to strengthen our approach to regulation and enforcement."

Minnesota Governor Just Says No to Marijuana Legalization. Gov. Mark Dayton (DFL) said Thursday marijuana legalization wouldn't happen on his watch. Responding to an audience question during an interview at the state fair, Dayton listed problems related to drug abuse, although he concentrated on opioids, and said legalizing pot would send a bad signal. "If somebody wants to use marijuana, go visit California or Colorado," Dayton continued. "But don't bring it back here. But I don't see it improving the quality of life of those societies."

Nevada Gaming Commission Just Says No to Marijuana Anything. In a meeting Thursday, the state Gaming Commission made clear that there is no place for marijuana in the gambling industry as long as it remains federally illegal. Commissioners agreed that businesses holding gaming licenses should not host events promoting the use, cultivation, or sale of marijuana, nor should licensees maintain business relationships with pot companies, even landlord-tenant relationships. The commission didn't even get to the issue of pot smoking, whether by guests in casino hotel rooms or by employees. Those and more issues will be dealt with in coming meetings of the commission.

Medical Marijuana

Federal Lawmakers Tell Sessions to Stop Blocking Marijuana Research. Two Republican and two Democratic congressmen have sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions telling him to quit using the Justice Department to block medical marijuana research. In the letter first reported by MassRoots and signed by Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Jared Polis (D-CO), and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), the congressmen referenced a recent report that Justice was blocking the DEA from moving forward on applications from scientists to cultivate marijuana for research purposes. Instead of delaying the application process, the congressmen wrote, "we encourage you to proceed with rapidity on the DEA's permitting process, as we believe it is in keeping with President Trump's campaign promises, and the best interests of the American people."