The Supreme Court on Monday will hear arguments whether patients in California and 10 other states can continue to use medical marijuana prescribed by their doctors.

The patients use the substance to relieve pain not relieved by traditional methods and medicines.

At issue is whether states can adopt laws governing drugs banned by the federal government, and whether federal drug agents can arrest individuals for abiding by those medical marijuana laws.

California was the first state to pass a so-called medical marijuana law in 1996. It allows patients to smoke and grow marijuana with a doctor’s recommendation.

But the Bush administration maintains those laws violate federal drug rules and asserts that marijuana has no medical value.

The case surrounds 39-year-old Angel Raich, who is plagued by ailments including brain tumors, seizures, spasms and nausea. She says she is only comforted by the medical marijuana prescribed by her doctor.