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San Diego County to argue challenge of state medical marijuana law

Associated Press

San Diego, CA Nov 16, 2006 -- San Diego County gets its day in court today in its challenge of California's decade-old law permitting marijuana use for medical purposes.

The county sued the state of California and its director of health services in San Diego Superior Court in February, saying a federal ban on marijuana trumps state rules permitting individuals to use the drug with a physician's approval. The judge will consider that argument this afternoon.

Two other California counties, San Bernardino and Merced, have joined San Diego as plaintiffs in the suit. All three counties have refused to comply with a state requirement that counties issue identification cards for medical marijuana users and maintain a registry of people who apply for the cards.

The state attorney general contends California is entitled to pass its own state drug laws and legislate programs relating to the use of medical marijuana.