(not american) do city/state laws come above federal laws?
According to federal law, yes, if they wanted to they could come into every hash house in California and prosecute, but they wont because that would be a huge burden...but they still like to harass. Now, accoriding to the constitution, and what the founders wrote, the federal government is only responsible and have powers over (hence the frequent usage "Congress shall") what the constitution specifically outline.
Aaaaaand, you have the 10th Amendment:
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
So it used to be that cities and states, as long as they didn't violate the constitution, could essentially do as the people of that state would like. That is why, for instance, you have dry counties and even dry towns. Towns where you can't possess alcohol, not because of any federal law, but because the people of that town decided that it was best for them.
But now, through manipulation of the constitution (primarily the commerce clause), the federal government thinks it can pretty much do whatever the fuck it wants...and they sure act like it. For example, the REAL ID act, google it and you will see that I think 27 states have officially said fuck you to the government and it's draconian ways. I wish more states would stand their ground.
Basically the federal government should just learn from their failed experiment with prohibition. In the end, it will cost more lives, more money, more time, etc to fight the will of the people. What people want, they will get.
