MEDICAL MARIJUANA: More Ballot Measures To Come
An article in the current issue of Rolling Stone reports that along "with California's 1996 approval, voters in seven states and [ the District of Columbia] have now endorsed" medical marijuana. But "the political struggle to establish rational laws on drugs and drug abuse is a long way from resolution," Rolling Stone reports. Responding to the election results, drug czar Barry McCaffrey "reminded everyone that state referendums do not change the fact that marijuana possession is against federal law." However, Rolling Stone predicts that if the federal government does not change its "hard-line policy against medical marijuana, then the campaign will move on to more states and collect more victories." Emboldened by their success in November, medical marijuana advocates are preparing to launch ballot measures in 2000 in Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio and Florida; Colorado and Nevada will vote again to "complete adoption" of their referendums. If the issue wins in Florida -- where the majority of Southerners do not support medical marijuana -- "the matter will be virtually decided" (Greider, Rolling Stone, 12/24/98-1/7/99 issue).
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