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Democratic Presidential Hopeful Vows Marijuana Change

DENVER (AP) — Democratic presidential hopeful Martin O'Malley is promising immediate change on marijuana policy if he takes office — even as he met with pot workers in Colorado who could be out of business if O'Malley carries out his plans.

The former Maryland governor met with Colorado officials and marijuana activists and business owners in Denver Thursday. He repeated his pledge to reclassify marijuana under federal drug laws if elected.

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Reclassification could open the door to doctors being able to prescribe marijuana, which currently has no accepted medical use under federal law. Such a change would place the drug under federal control, not the states. But O'Malley also said he wants to see how Colorado's marijuana experiment turns out.

Last year O'Malley signed a Maryland law decriminalizing small amounts of pot.

By Kristen Wyatt, AP Writer

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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