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by CARRIE JOHNSON
National Public Radio

The Justice Department has a big decision to make. Parts of new laws in Colorado and Washington that legalize small amounts of recreational marijuana will take effect early next month. The Obama administration needs to choose whether it will sue to stop the legislation or let those states go their own way — even though the drug remains illegal under federal law.

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CARRIE JOHNSON reports for NPR News where this story was originally broadcast. It is made available here through a news partnership between KUT News and the San Marcos Mercury.