United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers’ Cooperative

Summary

The Court, in an opinion by Justice Thomas joined by Chief Justice Rehnquist and Justices O'Connor, Scalia, and Kennedy, held that medical necessity is not a defense to manufacturing and distributing marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. District courts retain discretion whether to issue an injunction, but cannot use that discretion to create a medical-necessity exception contrary to Congress's statutory policy. The Court reversed the Ninth Circuit and remanded. Justice Stevens, joined by Justices Souter and Ginsburg, concurred in the judgment, agreeing that marijuana distributors lack the defense but objecting to statements concerning individual patients and the general availability of necessity defenses under federal law. Justice Breyer did not participate.