POT LAW 'UNCONSTITUTIONAL'

A federal law outlawing marijuana is unconstitutional and does not
apply to sick people who are allowed to smoke pot with a doctor's
recommendation, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 Tuesday.

California's 1996 medical marijuana law allows people to grow, smoke
or obtain marijuana for medical needs with a doctor's recommendation.
But the Justice Department said federal drug laws barring marijuana
superseded state laws.

The case goes back to the U.S. District Court that, in March, tossed
out a case brought by two ill women who wanted a court order letting
them smoke, grow and obtain marijuana without fear of federal
prosecution. That court said U.S. law barred it from issuing such an
order.