Since the case was first filed in 1997, nine states have approved medical marijuana ballot initiatives or laws (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington) and others are considering measures. Except for Maine and Colorado, every state comes under the jurisdiction of the appeals court, making the case virtually a national referendum on whether such laws will stand or fall.

     The case, Conant v. Walters, No. 00-17222, will be argued by lead counsel Graham Boyd of the ACLU's Drug Policy Litigation Project before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The Drug Policy Alliance is co-counsel in the case along with the ACLU of Northern California and attorneys with the San Francisco firm of Altshuler, Berzon, Nussbaum, Rubin & Demain.

 WHO:            Graham Boyd, lead counsel: 
                         ACLU Drug Policy Litigation Project
                      Dan Abrahamson, co-counsel:
                        Drug Policy Alliance
                      Ann Brick, co-counsel: 
                        ACLU of Northern California
                      Plaintiff doctors and patients

 WHAT:        Oral argument in Conant v. Walters: 
                      No. 00-17222, 
                      A challenge to government restriciton to 
                      California's medical marijuana 
                       law                  

 WHEN:        9:00 a.m., Monday, April 8  
                     (Note: The Court will begin hearing cases
                        at 9:00 a.m.; the Conant case is fifth 
                        on the schedule.)

 WHERE:      Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, 
                     925 Seventh Street (between 7th/Mission) 
                     San Francisco, Courtroom One