UPDATE 1-U.S. attorney general nominee won't target law-abiding marijuana businesses

President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday he disagreed with a decision by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions to reverse a policy that eased federal enforcement of marijuana laws, saying it sowed confusion in the marketplace and harmed businesses that had invested money.

"My approach to this would be to not upset settled expectations," Barr told the Senate Judiciary Committee in his confirmation hearing, adding that if confirmed, he will "not go after companies" that had relied on the old Obama-era guidance that Sessions later rescinded.

Barr's comments are likely to bring some relief to burgeoning marijuana economies in states like California, which were thrown for a loop last year when Sessions abruptly withdrew guidance written in 2013 by then-Deputy Attorney General James Cole.

That guidance, known as the "Cole Memo," still recognized marijuana as a "dangerous drug" that is illegal under federal law. However, it instructed prosecutors not to prioritize enforcing federal marijuana laws in states or localities that authorized various uses of the drug and effectively regulate and police it.

Sessions was a staunch opponent of marijuana, and once said in a speech that he believed it was helping fuel the opioid crisis by serving as a gateway drug.

Barr told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that he personally opposes pot, but felt that the best long-term solution to addressing disparate state and federal rules was for Congress to come up with a plan.

"I think it's a mistake to back off on marijuana," he said.

"However, if we want a federal approach, if we want states to have their own laws, then let's get there," Barr said. (Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)