By DAVID KRAVETS Associated Press Writer
December 16, 2003, 9:48 PM EST
SAN FRANCISCO -- An appeals court ruled Tuesday that a federal law outlawing marijuana does not apply to sick people who are allowed to smoke pot with a doctor's recommendation.
The ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was a blow to the federal government in its fight against medical marijuana. The Justice Department has argued that state medical marijuana laws were trumped by federal drug laws.
more: http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-medical-marijuana,0,1357 209.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines
****** Question: doesn't this ruling raise significant federalism issues that would have to be decided by the SCOTUS?