Marijuana Consumption Is Illegal on the Federal Level, Yet States

question 42

Multiple Choice

Marijuana consumption is illegal on the federal level, yet states such as Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska have passed ballot initiatives that allow the commercialization of recreational marijuana. How are these state laws upheld given the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution?

• A) The executive branch is constitutionally charged with enforcing the laws passed by Congress, although in this case has cited "executive discretion"-a decision to not enforce the federal law and allow states with popularly approved ballot initiative to have recreational marijuana.
• B) The supremacy clause does not apply to drug laws. Instead, jurisdiction has been subsumed by the Drug Enforcement Administration, an agency of the executive branch.
• C) The ballot initiatives that allow commercialization of recreational marijuana in the four states are pending approval by the Supreme Court.
• D) The U.S. Congress has given these states special exemptions to the supremacy clause.
• E) The president has used executive orders to limit the reach of the supremacy clause.

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Definitions:

Stroop Task

The Stroop task is a psychological test that demonstrates the conflict between the meaning of words and their colors, revealing how automatic processing can interfere with intended cognitive tasks.

Highly Learned Skills

Abilities or competencies developed to a high level of proficiency through extensive practice and learning.

Reading

The process of decoding symbols, such as letters and words, to derive meaning, a fundamental skill for acquiring knowledge and information.

Mental Set

A frame of mind involving an established way of thinking about a problem or situation, which can both aid and hinder problem-solving.