POT LAW DEFIANCE ASSAILED

San Francisco - California and other states that want to make marijuana
available to sick or dying patients are flouting federal drug laws in much
the same way that Souther states defied national civil rights laws, a
senior Bush administration lawyer said.

Five major federal lawsuits involve those who grow, use or recommend
marijuana for medical use in California.

The Bush adminstratin has asked the Supreme Court to settle the latest
fight by agreeing that Washington has the power to revoke medical licenses
of doctors who invoke state laws and recommend pot for patients.

States cannot choose when to abide by federal law and when not to, Justice
Department lawyer Mark Quinlivan said Saturday at an American Bar
Association discussion of medical marijuana.

- - Compiled from the Associated Press