Medical Marijuana, No Longer Defenseless

A federal judge in California for the first time is allowing medical use under state law as a defense in a federal criminal pot trial. An excerpt from the Associated Press report:

Defense lawyers wanted the charges dismissed based on the appellate court's ruling, but [Judge Nora] Manella ruled that the government had enough evidence the couple may have been growing their marijuana for a "commercial operation," allowing the case to go to trial.

But she warned Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Loeser that if the government can't show the couple was growing the marijuana with the intent to distribute it, it will likely have a weak case.