U.S. Supreme Court Rules Against Use of Medical Marijuana

The U.S. Supreme Court dealt a setback to the
medical marijuana movement, ruling that federal narcotics laws make
it a crime to grow and use the drug even when it never crosses state
lines and is used only to relieve pain or nausea.

The justices today said Congress's power over interstate commerce is
broad enough to let it ban locally grown and used medical marijuana.

The 6-3 ruling, issued in Washington, overturns a lower court
decision that had let two California women use cannabis to treat
pain, nausea and other symptoms.

California and nine other states exempt seriously ill people from
laws banning cultivation and use of marijuana. Today's ruling means
people in those states nonetheless will face the risk of federal
prosecution if they use or distribute marijuana.

The case is Ashcroft v. Raich, 03-1454.