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"I think it's great for kids," Filoni says, "because they're

March 9, 2018 by Lena Webb

"I think it's great for kids," Filoni says, "because they're going to know what happens in the galaxy."Marijuana has been used to treat a wide variety of chronic conditions, from anxiety to insomnia. But the drug's use in the U.S. has remained relatively low, making it difficult for states to approve the medical use of marijuana.

This week, the Drug Enforcement Administration approved the recreational use of marijuana in Washington state for recreational purposes. The state will also allow medical marijuana use in the state.

Under the new law, all marijuana sold in Washington state on Wednesday, March 4 — the day after state officials formally began making their state-approved medical marijuana available to patients — is taxed at a rate of $1.50 per ounce in Washington.

It's a significant change. Marijuana has long been illegal in Washington, but that changed in 2012. Washington passed a law in 2012 that made marijuana legal for medicinal purposes, and now the state's marijuana legal for recreational purposes.

Medical marijuana advocates say the state is on track to legalize recreational marijuana if it continues to allow the sale and possession of the drug.

"It's a huge relief to our patients, because they're having to deal with a lot of pain and suffering and anxiety, which is a problem for them," said Elizabeth J. DeAngelis, Washington state's assistant attorney general. "I'm absolutely convinced this is something that's going to give people a better shot at getting in the best shape of life for their children."

The federal government also approved medical marijuana in Washington last year, and it's still under review. The federal government has agreed to provide it for recreational use in the next few months.

Medical marijuana uses have grown more common thanks to the Affordable Care Act, which allowed people with conditions like epilepsy or cancer to obtain it legally. The federal government also offers tax credits to states that allow medical marijuana use in the states.

The Obama administration last year also approved the medical use of marijuana in Washington for medical and other purposes, and it is expected to go into effect by the end of the year. Congress also approved the law's application.

But the states that approved the recreational use of marijuana in the past may not follow suit.

"We've always thought there was going to be a problem with legal marijuana," said Mary Ellen L. Baker, executive director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. "We have heard that in general law enforcement is