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The United States Supreme Court recently ruled that federal prohibitions against the possession and use of marijuana trump California state law providing for the medical use of this substance.

Etopia Media Medical News Network spoke today with Mardi Wormhoudt, a member of the Board of Supervisors of Santa Cruz County, California, about medical marijuana policy there and about her reaction to this decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.

In Gonzalez v. Raich the U.S. Supreme Court held that "Congress' Commerce Clause authority includes the power to prohibit the local cultivation and use of marijuana in compliance with California law."

After explaining the arrangements under which Santa Cruz residents can take advantage of California and Santa Cruz County laws to obtain and use marijuana to treat their medical conditions, Supervisor Wormhoudt responded to the Supreme Court's decision in Gonzalez v. Raich, saying that:

"What is at heart here is a states' right issue. In this particular case, I continue to believe that this is not question of interstate commerce, that there is no particular reason for the Federal Government to interfere in California law. I think it's a very flawed opinion and, furthermore, it's heartbreaking, because this means that people who are very ill now will suffer the additional anxiety and difficulty of worrying about whether they're breaking the law by simply using whatever palliative treatment for their illness suits them best."

Supervisor Wormhoudt said it would be "the most bizarre and ridiculous priority" (among unnamed others) if the U.S. Government were to start arresting people using marijuana for medical purposes.

You can listen to that conversation with Santa Cruz County Supervisor Mardi Wormhoudt about the recent U.S. Supreme Court medical marijuana decision, in its entirety, by clicking here.

To read about and listen to an October 12, 2004, Etopia Media Medical News Network interview with Santa Cruz County Supervisor Wormhoudt about raising the upper limit on the amount of medical marijuana that patients entitled under county law to use it to three pounds, click here.