UPDATE ~ Oregon, California respond to high court  ruling against medical marijuana News
UPDATE ~ Oregon, California respond to high court ruling against medical marijuana

[JURIST] Following up a story reported this morning in JURIST's Paper Chase, states have already begun responding to the US Supreme Court's decision [JURIST report] to grant Congress the power to criminalize the growth and use of marijuana for personal medical reasons. In Oregon, officials have stopped issuing medical marijuana cards to qualified citizens. Authorized under the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act [text], the cards allow patients suffering from debilitating medical conditions to use marijuana under a doctor’s supervision. In a press release [text] posted on the state Department of Health website, the agency stated that applications will continue to be accepted and processed, but no registration cards will be issued until the US Department of Justice [official website] provides further direction. Meanwhile California Attorney General Bill Lockyer cautioned concerned Californians not to panic [text], and urged Congress and the President to reform federal law to bring relief to medical patients. Currently, Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington state allow medical marijuana use. AP has more.