Government vows to penalize doctors who recommend pot.
ACLU suit says that violates free speech. Justice Department lawyers argued their position in U.S. District Court here during what may be the final stage of a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU contends that the government's position violates doctors' free speech rights, and that many doctors now resist recommending pot for fear of losing their federal right to prescribe medication. U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup was expected to rule within weeks, lawyers said, and the ruling could have broad implications for several states with similar laws. Measures similar to California's Proposition 215, which voters approved in 1996, have passed in Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state.