SUPPORTERS RALLY FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA

About 30 people rallied in front of the federal courthouse in downtown
Eugene on Thursday to protest the federal government's interference in
state medical marijuana laws.

Protesters want federal authorities to "respect the legal rights of
medical marijuana patients," said Jonathan Gutstadt of Eugene, the
23-year-old leader of the Hemp Education Network.

Similar rallies were planned in as many as 60 other cities
Thursday.

Drug enforcement agents have raided a number of medical marijuana
dispensaries in California in recent months. Oregon has seen no such
crackdown so far, mainly because no advocacy groups here are
exchanging medical marijuana for money, said Todd Dalotto, founder of
the Compassion Center, a Eugene group that helps medical marijuana
patients learn how to grow their own crops.

Nine states, including Oregon, have approved medical marijuana laws.