Gonzales v. Raich (2005) is a U.S. Supreme Court decision holding that Congress, under the Commerce Clause, may prohibit the local cultivation and use of marijuana even if that activity is non-commercial, medically recommended, and legal under state law.
The case arose when federal agents seized marijuana plants grown by Diane Monson in her California backyard for personal medical use. Her use was legal under California’s Compassionate Use Act but violated the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Monson and Angel Raich, another medical marijuana user, sued to prevent enforcement of the CSA against them, arguing that regulating their purely intrastate activity exceeded Congress’s constitutional authority.
The Court rejected this argument, holding that Congress had a rational basis to conclude that local marijuana cultivation could substantially affect the interstate market, thereby justifying regulation under the Commerce Clause. The Court relied on Wickard v. Filburn (1942) and applied the rational basis test. It emphasized that failing to regulate intrastate marijuana would undermine federal efforts to control the drug trade under the CSA.
See also: 21 U.S.C. § 801(5)
[Last reviewed in July of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team]