ng marijuana for pain relief and nausea had helped legalization efforts. “The longer they fight this battle, the more progress we make” Stroup says “Americans rethink their position on marijuana when they see a government disinterest in helping dying patients.” Robert Hussey agrees that medical marijuana had given momentum to advocates of legalization (Cauchon 1). The “Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Initiative,” if passed, allows, licensed physicians to prescribe marijuana for medical treatment of seriously ill individuals. It would allow marijuana to aid in the treatment if HIV/AIDS, glaucoma, muscle spasms, cancer therapy, and other serious illnesses. It would legalize marijuana possession, use, cultivation, and distribution for those illnesses which marijuana medically benefits. The initiative would also require the Director of Public Health to propose the D.C. council a plan providing for distribution of marijuana to qualify patients enrolled in approved programs. Using marijuana without a recommendation from a physician would be strictly prohibited. Eleven states, led by Oregon, adopted modified versions of decriminalization in 1973. Each state retained only a small civil fine of minor marijuana offenses and eliminated arrest and jailing; a small citation similar to a traffic ticket was substituted. To the marijuana smoker the advantage of this approach is obvious. The individual is spared the indignity of an arrest and jailing, and avoids a criminal record. The approach also benefits law enforcement by freeing up officers to focus on actual serious crimes. Nearly one-third of Americans live in places which have now had a 15-20 year real world experience with marijuana decriminalization, and their experience had been overwhelmingly favorable (Stroup 12-13). Contrary to fears that have been expressed, marijuana usage rates are the same if decriminalized states as we...
