3.1 Conflict over Medical Marijuana

3.1 Conflict over Medical Marijuana

• Overview: Legal conflict between California medical-marijuana laws and the federal prohibition under the CSA.

  • Raich and Monson used marijuana under California's Compassionate Use Act of 1996; federal law still prohibited marijuana use, cultivation, and possession.
  • The dispute centers on whether state authorization can stand against federal regulation.

• Key Laws Involved

  • California: Compassionate Use Act of 1996 (medical use under physician supervision).
  • United States: Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (CSA) classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug.
  • $ext{Schedule I}$ indicates a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use under federal law.
  • Federal authority basis: CSA enacted under Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce.
  • Central questions involve the boundary between federal power and state sovereignty in health policy and criminal law.

• Facts of the Case (as context)

  • In 2002, Raich and Monson filed suit in a California federal court challenging federal prohibition on their medical-marijuana use.
  • They argued protections under California law and the U.S. Constitution.
  • Monson was growing her own marijuana plant; DEA seized six plants after a raid, despite California permissiveness.
  • A federal appeals court ruled for Raich and Monson; the U.S. Attorney General appealed; the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case.

• Central Legal Question

  • Where is the boundary between the powers of the federal government and those of the states?
  • Does the CSA prevail over California law legalizing medical marijuana under state regulation?

• Contextual Themes

  • Federalism in practice: tension between state-level medical-marijuana policies and federal prohibition.
  • Some states have legalized medical and/or recreational marijuana and created dispensaries, raising questions about interaction with federal interstate-commerce authority.
  • Store sales and distribution raise issues about how state laws interact with Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce.

• Learning Targets (Section Review)

  • Explain the tension in American federalism between state and federal laws.
  • Know core terms: $ext{federalism}$, $ext{Compassionate Use Act of 1996}$, $ext{CSA (1970)}$, $ext{Schedule I}$, $ext{interstate commerce}$.
  • Think critically about how state legalization affects federal authority to regulate commerce across state lines.