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Maricopa County Attorney Challenges Arizona's Medical Marijuana Law

The Maricopa County Attorney is challenging Arizona’s medical marijuana law in the Arizona Court of Appeals. The suit addresses a discrepancy between state and federal law.

Federal law classifies marijuana is a schedule 1 substance with no accepted medical use. Arizona, 22 other states and Washington D.C. have medical marijuana laws that allow people with certain conditions to use the drug with the proper documentation. According to Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, until the federal government changes its law on the substance, it can’t be legally used.

“Just because our constitutional process takes time doesn’t give us license to ignore it. In fact I think that’s the absolute worst reason to do so," Montgomery said. "And if there are other officials in other states that are going to ignore their law either because of political cowardice or ignorance. That’s on them.”

The case also challenges zoning laws that could affect the locations of dispensaries. Hearing dates are expected to be set in a few months. 

Alexandra Olgin was a Senior Field Correspondent at KJZZ from 2013 to 2016.