The issue focused on federal criminal laws that criminalize medical marijuana use. Law enforcement officials say medical marijuana laws make it easier for drug cartels to traffic illegal drugs into the United States.

But medical marijuana advocates say they want to legalize medical marijuana for patients who need it to treat cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis and other diseases.

And federal drug laws criminalizing medical marijuana use have no medical benefit, according to medical experts.

In Washington state, medical marijuana laws do not criminalize medical marijuana use