Lawmakers who want to undo Alaska's liberal marijuana possession law won a key battle in the state legislature, the Associated Press reported April 13.

A joint House-Senate conference committee defeated an attempt to remove language from a methamphetamine-control bill that would increase penalties for possessing marijuana; the measure still must be approved by the full House and Senate before being presented to Gov. Frank Murkowski, who is a strong supporter of a marijuana crackdown.

Lawmakers are seeking to overturn a state Supreme Court ruling that allows marijuana possession as part of a constitutional right to privacy, arguing that the pot available today is stronger than that on the market in the past, making it more dangerous.