The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a legal challenge by four Northern California residents over the federal government´s prosecution of medical marijuana patients.
Lawyers for Angel Raich of Oakland, Diane Monson of Oroville and two unnamed Bay Area people are expected to argue that the federal government should be permanently barred from prosecuting medical marijuana patients and providers.
The lawyers maintain marijuana used for medical purposes in California should not fall under federal laws regulating interstate activity and commerce.
Raich and Monson say they use marijuana to try to ease the pain from medical problems.
The case has made its way up the court system after a raid on Monson´s home in August of 2002.
Federal drug agents seized six marijuana plants at her home, even though local deputies and a prosecutor agreed the plants were within county guidelines under state law.
This post was last modified on 01/31/2009 4:41 pm