S.B. County sued over medical marijuana

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- The fight to be able to use marijuana for medical reasons is intensifying in the Inland Empire. There is a lawsuit aimed at forcing one county to issue state-mandated identification cards to medical pot users.

The battle over whether the use of medicinal marijuana is legal has raged on for 12 years. It continued on Monday on the steps of the San Bernardino County Courthouse, where a group of medical marijuana users decided to sue the county. The group included people like Scott Bledsoe, whose doctor signed off on his use of medicinal marijuana.

"We're trying to force the county of San Bernardino to issue ID cards to medical marijuana patients," said Bledsoe.

Voters approved Proposition 215 back in 1996, which legalized the use of medical marijuana if prescribed by a doctor. But to this day, the county of San Bernardino has refused to go along with voters' wishes. So they are currently being sued.

"Well, I think it's high time. It was voted in 12 years ago, and they're still dragging their feet in San Bernardino County. And there's a lot of people who need this for medical purposes," said Joanne Cates, a cancer patient.

County officials would not speak on camera due to the pending lawsuit. However, their reasoning is that the federal law does not allow for medical marijuana. They say federal law trumps anything California voters would approve.

Medical marijuana advocates say the courts have already agreed with them. The superior court, the court of appeals and the state supreme court have decided to not hear the case.

Now that the group says they've filed suit, the county will have 30 days to show up in court and respond.

"San Bernardino is not really my doctor, or my medical professional. So I try to do what my doctor says, and state law says I'm legal to do that. So I feel what I'm doing is legal," said Bledsoe.

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