The U.S. House of Representatives voted 259-163 against a measure that would have barred the Justice Department from spending money on prosecuting people who use or distribute marijuana for medical purposes, the Associated Press reported June 29.

The amendment to a Justice Department spending bill was rejected despite pleas from lawmakers like Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), who said of medical marijuana use: "If [state] voters have seen to it and a doctor agrees, it's a travesty for the government to intercede ... to get in the way of someone using something to alleviate their suffering. This is something that should be left to the states as American tradition dictates."

But opponents argued that marijuana is a dangerous drug and that synthetic versions like Marinol are available by prescription for those who need it.

A total of 11 states have medical-marijuana laws on the books, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that the federal government can still enforce laws against marijuana possession and distribution in those states.