Court orders medical marijuana returned

SANTA ANA, Calif., Nov. 30 (UPI) -- A California appeals court ordered a local police department to return marijuana seized from a medical marijuana patient.

A three-justice panel from the state's Fourth Appellate District ruled that police must give back 8 grams of the drug to a Garden Grove, Calif. man who had the drug taken from him more than two years ago during a traffic stop, the Orange County (Calif.) Register said Thursday.

Garden Grove officials argued that giving the drug back would be a violation of federal law, which considers marijuana contraband.

The California State Sheriffs' Association, the California Police Chiefs Association and the California Peace Officers' Association filed briefs supporting Garden Grove, the newspaper said.