Latest Medical cannabis in the United States Stories

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -- Following a Supreme Court ruling that said the U.S. government could prosecute medical marijuana use, California officials said on Friday they would stop issuing identification cards to state residents who smoke marijuana to treat medical conditions.The state program has been suspended pending a legal review in light of last month's court decision, which said Congress may bar the cultivation and use of marijuana, State Health Director Sandra Shewry said in a...

Traditional drugs have done little to help 39-year-old Angel Raich. Beset by ailments that include tumors in her brain, seizures, spasms and nausea, she has been able to find comfort only in the marijuana that is recommended by her doctor. On Monday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that will determine whether Ms. Raich and similar patients in California and 10 other states can continue to use marijuana for medical purposes. At issue is whether states have the right to...

Nov. 30--WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court on Monday appeared unlikely to shield medical marijuana users from federal drug laws, as justices expressed deep reservations about sanctioning even limited use of illegal drugs. Some justices were skeptical that medicinal pot, which is permitted in 11 states, is always a non-economic enterprise and separate from the illegal drug trade. Others seemed to dispute the idea that Congress could not regulate a substance that is considered contraband....

Some patients say the outcome of the case Monday is essentially a matter of life or death. * * * OAKLAND, Calif. - Traditional drugs have done little to help 39-year-old Angel Raich. Beset by a nightmarish list of ailments that includes tumors in her brain and uterus, seizures, spasms and nausea, she has been able to find comfort only in the marijuana that is recommended by her doctor. It eases her pain, allows her to rise out of a wheelchair and promotes an appetite that prevents...

WASHINGTON -- A lawyer for chronic-pain sufferers argued before the Supreme Court on Monday that these people, upon a doctor's recommendation, should be allowed to smoke marijuana to relieve their suffering. The justices treated the argument skeptically, appearing more receptive to a federal attorney who said that permitting an unapproved, medicinal use for marijuana would defeat Congress' goal of stifling the illegal drug trade. It is "a bit optimistic" to believe that marijuana can be...

Nov. 30--WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court Monday jumped into the fight over the use of illegal drugs for health purposes, as the justices debated whether allowing medical marijuana use is a necessary kindness in a compassionate society or a dangerous move that could undermine the fight against narcotics. The immediate subject was whether the federal government's strict anti-drug laws should override a California statute that allows those suffering from chronic pain or other symptoms to...

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments today in a California case that could make or break a growing trend in some states towards legalizing medical marijuana. Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr. has joined with his counterparts from California and Washington in filing a joint amicus brief supporting the respondents, two women who use marijuana as a pain medication. At issue in the case, Ashcroft v. Raich, is whether federal law enforcement agencies have a right to take...

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court appeared hesitant Monday to endorse medical marijuana for patients who have a doctor's recommendation. Justices are considering whether sick people in 11 states with medical marijuana laws can get around a federal ban on pot. Paul Clement, the Bush administration's top court lawyer, noted that California allows people with chronic physical and mental health problems to smoke pot and said that potentially many people are subjecting themselves to health dangers....

Correction In this story about a medical marijuana hearing coming before the Supreme Court, The Associated Press reported erroneously that part of the question before justices involved whether states could adopt such laws. That specific issue is not part of the case before the court. Rather, the justices will decide whether federal agents have the authority to prosecute individuals who are abiding by their state's medical marijuana law. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Traditional drugs have done little...

Before one 43-year-old Lomita resident summons the resolve to perform basic daily tasks like brushing her teeth, she must tackle the debilitating pain that is her constant companion. So, Shelly, who requested her last name be withheld, takes a muscle relaxant, gingerly stretches for 30 minutes -- and then takes what she calls her medication with names like Super Silver Haze or Morningstar. Shelly uses marijuana on a doctor's recommendation. Her medical use of marijuana helps combat lupus,...