Renewed bid for medical marijuana back in court

WPRI 12: Eyewitness News

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The debate over medical marijuana comes before a federal appeals court in California today.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments on whether marijuana should be allowed if it's the only viable option to keep a patient alive or out of excruciating pain. It would apply only to the sickest patients and their suppliers, regardless of whether they live in one of the 11 states authorizing medical marijuana.

Rhode Island in January became the 11th state to legalize the use of medical marijuana for medical reasons. The California case was brought by a 40-year-old mother who suffers from scoliosis, a brain tumor, chronic nausea and other ailments. She uses marijuana every couple of hours.

The Bush administration says the lawsuit is without merit.