Angel McClarey Raich, who uses 9-10 pounds of cannabis a year for a variety of ailments including a brain tumor, needs help getting out of bed in the morning and can hardly move until she has gotten some cannabis into her system. Angel filed a lawsuit with fellow medical cannabis patient Diane Munson on October 9,2002 against the federal government and John Ashcroft to allow her to continue using cannabis under California's Compassionate use Act. The case has made it's way to the U.S. Supreme Court which heard arguments on November 29, 2004. Here Angel sits on the bed in her Oakland, CA home on October 17, 2004 shortly after waking up in the morning. Her respirator lays on the pillow behind her.

Meri Simon, San Jose Mercury News