A federal appeals court has ruled that the city's mass transit agency (MBTA) violated the First Amendment by refusing to put up a nonprofit's ads because they encourage the use of marijauna. The MBTA should have known that they can't deny ad space on the basis on content. In 2003, the same nonprofit, Change the Climate, sued the government over the placement of ads in terminals of Washington, D.C.'s Metro system. Judge Paul L. Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the government’s attempt to censor the ads was illegitimate and constitutionally impermissible. He issued a permanent injunction against Istook’s appropriations rider, saying that, “there is a clear public interest in preventing the chilling of speech on the basis of viewpoint.” The injunction prohibits the enforcement of the law. As a result, Change the Climate and other groups can again display their ads — criticizing drug policies — on the subways and at bus stop shelters.