sentences:  After the first states legalized in 2012, uncertainty remained over how the federal government would respond.Seeking to clarify, the Justice Department issued the Cole Memorandum in August 2013, which specified eight conditions under which enforcement of federal law would be prioritized (such as distribution of cannabis to minors or diversion across state borders).Aside from these situations, the memo generally allowed for the commercial distribution of cannabis in states where such activity had been legalized.