A week after the Supreme Court ruled that medical marijuana laws in California and nine other states are no bar to federal drug prosecution, the House voted down an amendment that would have stopped the Justice Department from bringing such cases. While medical marijuana advocates never thought they would have the votes to bar federal prosecutions, some had predicted that, because of the heightened interest after the Supreme Court's ruling, they would do better than the 264-161 vote they received Wednesday. [continues 447 words]
WASHINGTON - A week after the Supreme Court ruled that medical marijuana laws in California and nine other states are no bar to federal drug prosecution, the House voted down an amendment that would have stopped the Justice Department from bringing such cases. Although medical marijuana advocates never thought they would have the votes to bar federal prosecutions, some had predicted that because of the heightened interest after the Supreme Court's ruling that they would do better than Wednesday's 264-161 vote. [continues 704 words]
Amendment Would Have Stopped Prosecutions for Medical Marijuana WASHINGTON -- A week after the Supreme Court ruled that medical marijuana laws in California and nine other states are no bar to federal drug prosecution, the House voted down an amendment that would have stopped the Justice Department from bringing such cases. While medical marijuana advocates never thought they would have the votes to bar federal prosecutions, some had predicted that, because of the heightened interest after the Supreme Court's ruling, they would do better than the 264-161 vote they received Wednesday. [continues 368 words]
Justices Rule State Cannot Trump Federal Drug Laws WASHINGTON - A medical recommendation is not a ticket to legal marijuana in California, the U.S. Supreme Court said Monday in a closely watched case in which the justices nonetheless expressed sympathy for those whose illnesses have been alleviated by the use of cannabis. In its 6-3 decision, the court held that laws in California and nine other states permitting people with a doctor's recommendation to cultivate, possess and use marijuana didn't trump the federal government's authority to prosecute pot users - even the ill - on federal drug charges. [continues 970 words]
Court Says Users Face Federal Charges Despite State Laws WASHINGTON - A medical prescription is not a ticket to legal marijuana in California, the U.S. Supreme Court said Monday in a 6-3 ruling in which the justices nonetheless expressed sympathy for those whose illnesses have been uniquely alleviated by the popular street drug. In an opinion written by Justice John Paul Stevens, the court held that laws in California and 10 other states permitting marijuana cultivation, possession and use by persons with a doctor's prescription do not trump the federal government's authority under the Constitution to prosecute sick users on federal drug charges. [continues 605 words]
Federal drug laws do not exempt ailing marijuana users, the Supreme Court rules Supreme Court plaintiff Diane Monson of Oroville, Calif., smokes marijuana to relieve back pain. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that federal laws supersede state laws permitting patients to use the drug under doctors' orders. WASHINGTON -- A medical prescription is not a ticket to legal marijuana, the U.S. Supreme Court said Monday in a 6-3 ruling. The justices nonetheless expressed sympathy for those whose illnesses have been uniquely alleviated by the popular street drug. [continues 402 words]
Supreme Court Is Asked To Reverse A Ban On Investigating Doctors. WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn an appellate decision barring federal drug agents from investigating California physicians who recommend that ill patients use marijuana to relieve suffering. If the high court decides this fall to take up this case, it would be the second medical marijuana decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to be reviewed. In the first case two years ago, the justices ruled that there is no exemption from federal drug laws for ill patients using marijuana. [continues 600 words]
80% to 85% of total meth supply comes from California, Congress is told. WASHINGTON -- Methamphetamine production is so rampant in California that the street price of the highly addictive stimulant is running at 25% of the national average, and dealers are marketing packets of the drug to elementary school students for as little as $5 and $10, witnesses said at a House hearing Thursday. "California is completely flooded with methamphetamine," Ron Brooks, chairman of the National Narcotic Officers Associations Coalition, told the House Government Reform Committee's drug policy panel. "It is cheap. We're seeing it in junior high schools and upper grade schools." [continues 683 words]
WASHINGTON -- Methamphetamine production is so rampant in California that the street price of the highly addictive stimulant is running at about 20 percent of the national average, and dealers are marketing packets of the drug to elementary school students for as little as $5 and $10, witnesses said at a House hearing Thursday. "California is completely flooded with methamphetamine," Ron Brooks, chairman of the National Narcotic Officers Association Coalition, told the House Government Reform Committee's drug policy panel. "It is cheap," he said. "We're seeing it in junior high schools and upper grade schools." [continues 452 words]
