MEDICAL POT POLICY MAY SHIFT

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Attorney General Eric Holder signaled a change on
medical marijuana policy Wednesday, saying federal agents will target
marijuana distributors only when they violate both federal and state law.

That would be a departure from the Bush administration, which
targeted medical marijuana dispensaries in California even if they
complied with that state's law.

Medical marijuana advocates in California welcomed the news, but said
they still worried about the pending cases of those already in court
on drug charges.

California law permits the sale of marijuana for medical purposes,
though it still is against federal law.

Holder did not spell out exactly who no longer would face the
prospect of raids by the Drug Enforcement Administration. But he was
quick to add that law enforcement officers will target anyone who
tries to "use medical marijuana laws as a shield" for other illegal activity.

"Given the limited resources that we have, our focus will be on
people, organizations that are growing, cultivating substantial
amounts of marijuana and doing so in a way that's inconsistent with
federal and state law," the attorney general said.

Thirteen states have laws permitting medicinal use of marijuana.
California is unique among them for the presence of dispensaries,
which are businesses that sell marijuana and even advertise their
services. Legal under California law, such dispensaries are still
illegal under federal law.