HOUSE SNUFFS OUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA

WASHINGTON, D.C. - When the Supreme Court ruled last week that
medical marijuana users could be federally prosecuted, it suggested
that Californians and others who supported the drug's medicinal use
"may one day be heard in the halls of Congress."

Well, they were heard Wednesday, but it didn't turn out any
differently. By a vote of 264-161, the House rejected legislation
that would have blocked the Justice Department from interfering with
California and nine other states that have laws allowing marijuana to
be used to treat diseases like AIDS, glaucoma and cancer.

It was the first test of Congress' mood on the issue since the
court's 6-3 decision upholding broad federal authority over drug
laws. The mood was about the same as the last time the House voted
on such legislation, which was defeated 268-148 in 2004.

The legislation was offered as an amendment to a spending bill. It
would have barred the Justice Department from using funds to prevent
the implementation of medical marijuana laws in California, Alaska,
Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont or Washington.