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Arizona Medical Marijuana Initiative Wins

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #659)
Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy

After trailing on Election Day and all the way through most of the late vote counting, Arizona's medical marijuana initiative, Proposition 203, pulled ahead Friday and, with all votes counted, was declared the unofficial winner Saturday. The final tally had the measure winning, 50.1% to 49.9%. The measure won by fewer than 5,700 votes out of more than 1.6 million cast.

"Voters in Arizona have sided with science and compassion while dealing yet another blow to our nation's cruel and irrational prohibition on marijuana," said Rob Kampia, Marijuana Policy Project executive director, in a statement greeting the outcome. "Arizona's law now reflects the mainstream public opinion that seriously ill people should not be treated like criminals if marijuana can provide them relief, and that doctors should be able to recommend marijuana to patients if they believe it can help alleviate their suffering."

The Marijuana Policy Project had advised and helped finance the campaign. Arizona will now become the 15th medical marijuana state when official results are announced November 29. The state will then have 120 days to create regulations. 

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

Tirau (not verified)

I am very excited. My neighbors to the east will have their first taste of freedom, and there will be at least one major success we can take from this election season to carry into the future - specifically, as momentum for 2012.

Sat, 11/13/2010 - 12:18am Permalink
2cents (not verified)

This is good news. Cannabis is not a drug, but a plant with medicinal properties....like green tea and dandelions and thousands of other plants! It should never have been or ever be illegal. Thank God for creating such a medicinal plant.....I don't think HE was wrong and I don't think Arizonans were wrong to vote yes on prop 203. 

Sat, 11/13/2010 - 12:55am Permalink
David Hart (not verified)

In reply to by 2cents (not verified)

Sorry, 2cents, but I have to call you up on this. Of course cannabis is a drug. A (psychoactive) drug is simply a substance which by virtue of its chemical properties affects the function of the brain. (technically cannabis is a combination of several drugs in the one plant, but that just makes it 'drugs' rather than 'a drug')

I think what has happened here is that you have come to think that 'drug' means 'a substance so dangerous that people should be punished for using it', which cannabis is clearly not; nevertheless, it does no favours to the reform movement if our opponents see us making statements that are manifestly based on a false definition.

Keep up the fight.

Sat, 11/13/2010 - 2:33pm Permalink
az native (not verified)

It is sooooooooo sad if the state of Arizona loweres itself into the trash of and level of marijuana users.  I have never met one that was of good character or close to being a good and decent human, neighbor or friend.

Sat, 11/13/2010 - 12:56am Permalink
611BombingSquadron (not verified)

In reply to by az native (not verified)

I respectfully disagree with your opinion regarding poor character and cannabis. I am a medical marijuana recipient because of the injuries I sustained on my third tour in Iraq in USMC. My baby brother helped introduce me to natural pain relief, and he's CHP, and needless to say, an outstanding citizen. I am pursuing my PhD here in CA. Moreover, I work with an engineering team for JPL with NASA, and I couldn't ask for a more supportive group. I grew up in AZ and I'm sorry to read your bleak outlook, but am optimistic about Arizona's choices regarding medical cannabis' legalization. Perhaps reconsider your thoughts before posting? Compassion, friend. Thank you.

Sat, 11/13/2010 - 1:32am Permalink
Anonymous1 (not verified)

In reply to by az native (not verified)

az native, I've never met someone opposed to marijuana who is of good character or even close to resembling a decent human being.  Hmmm, isn't that odd?  Seriously though, we all know that your statement regarding marijuana users and my statement stating the opposite are both entirely false and have no basis in reality.

Sat, 11/13/2010 - 3:06am Permalink
Anon (not verified)

In reply to by az native (not verified)

so sad, you need to get out and meet some more marijuana users. or perhaps you already know them. some of your decent neighbors smoke in private.

Sat, 11/13/2010 - 5:09pm Permalink
loknows (not verified)

In reply to by az native (not verified)

well i bet half of your friends smoke and you just don't know it! I bet you have more indecency in you than most potheads. It's the crack heroin and meth that are killing peoples minds and bodys not marijuana. marijuana is GODS medicine for us , a natural plant with propertys that help relieve pains and symptoms of hundreds of ailments all without the use of narcotics and other medications that all have side affects over a page long on each drug causing stomach bleeding death addiction to the point of killing people if you cant get your "FIX". marijuana has none of these serious side affects. So why dont you go get to know your neighbors and friends and find out how many of them already do use marijuana and find out we are not all trashy drug users!

Sat, 11/13/2010 - 8:05pm Permalink
newageblues (not verified)

No respectful disagreement here. I've read a lot of world class ignorant posts from alcohol supremacist cannabis hating bigots, but your over the top rant absolutely takes the cake. Congratulations.

Sat, 11/13/2010 - 9:18am Permalink
Emerald Sasquatch (not verified)

I live in a state where cannabis is very illegal and those of us that know the benefit of it are treated as social lepers and felons.  Thus the news that Prop 203 in Arizona is now on the winning side gives hope.  People against cannabis have every reason to be ignorant and hateful because it is their first amendment right, but we who support someone's freedom to make their own choices what they put in their body have every right to show them as being short sighted and moronic.  The thing is people as cannabis users who believe in compassion we have to feel sorry for those that are still brain washed by the propaganda.  No government has the right to tell us what we can or cannot do with our bodies as long as we harm no one else in the process. 

So, feel compassion for those still brain washed by the anti-marijuana drones.  Don't buy into hate because you'll find yourself just like they are but on the other side.  Cannabis doesn't harm anything but a bag of Dorito's and maybe a pizza or two from Papa Johns. Seriously cannabis users we should stop the war on snacks... I get a sniffle when I see all the empty boxes where pizzas once thrived.  Senseless killings of fruit infused drinks in the name of cotton mouth makes me wanna cry.  I even heard a cannabis users say something so horrible as "I killed that six-pack in Memphis just to watch it die".  So, feel compassion for the brain-washed who want their elected official to tell them how their doo dads should dangle and lets focus on the munchies... the true enemy of a cannabis smoker.  Now, if you'll excuse me I'm high and must go beat up a mouthy box of Little Debbie Oatmeal cakes... sorry but they have it coming.    

Sat, 11/13/2010 - 11:37am Permalink
newageblues (not verified)

If you choose to beat on some Little Debbies instead of beating up on a live little Debbie like a drunk, you deserve to be a leper and felon just like the rest of us too peaceful folks. Deal with it. 

Sat, 11/13/2010 - 2:13pm Permalink
Bogart (not verified)

Don't Bogart that Joint!

Having a father who wrote and performed one of the world's marijuana anthems, I grew up around lots and lots and lots of pot smokers. What I learned first and foremost was that not only did my parents, but all the adults around me seemed extremely stupid and without care or consideration of children's needs. Now, that doesn't mean that pot makes you selfish or even stupid, but I sure noticed how impossible it was to have a concerned parent show authentic concerns or even assist with a child's homework. Eventually, I considered the fact that I did not have intelligent parents. Thank God I was able to find outside guidance, else school graduation would've been impossible. I also found that regular smokers of marijuana have huge emotional issues. 

I'm sure there is statistical and scientific data to support each argument in this case. But we should consider all information and opinions with an open understanding and not bark out opinions immediately. If we are to first consider the idea that we just might not have been taught everything in perfect truth, then we may just be able to recognize that what we believe is not exactly correct.

In short, not everything we have been taught is true!

On a side note, I do believe that marijuana in medical form is extremely beneficial. As far as I'm able to understand, it doesn't require inhalation in order to obtain its benefit from its usage. I also understand that smoking it merely provides a rapid physical sensation, but taking it in other ways, such as in oil form or ingesting it has shown to be extremely beneficial for many purposes, including pain.

Should a government protect us be enforcing laws that keep us safe from drug users? No way! Should we encourage each other to learn more? Absolutely! Should we encourage the smoking of marijuana? Probably not. Should you smoke marijuana? Probably not. Personally, I hate marijuana smoking because it robbed me of my parents. But in the end, each of us will do what we want regardless of it being good, bad, legal or not.

Let's just try to keep an open mind and not stick with an opinion just because we've believed one for a very long time. Its okay to make mistakes. Its also fantastic when we can admit that we've made one. Let's just help others by loving them and informing them. Not imprisoning them in order to teach them. Unless of course they are causing harm.

Live long, bless others and you will truly be blessed!  :-)

Sat, 11/13/2010 - 5:38pm Permalink
Roarkster (not verified)

In reply to by Bogart (not verified)

Bogart, 

Emotionally absent parents are a tragedy that I experienced as well, but it had nothing to do with marijuana.  They were devout and religious people who wouldn't have known what a joint was if you lit one up for them.  Religion didn't have anything to do with their failure as parents either.  I assume you get my point.

Thu, 11/18/2010 - 12:48pm Permalink
Brinna (not verified)

In reply to by Bogart (not verified)

Would love to blame bad parenting on marijuana, but the fact of the matter is, you grew up around musicians. Like all artists, they make great music (or poetry or paintings), but are generally lousy parents (I can hear the outraged screams now, but you know I'm right).

Had you been the progeny of marijuana smoking stock brokers, or aircraft mechanics, or school teachers, or cab drivers your chances of a "normal" childhood would have been a lot better.

Sun, 11/21/2010 - 6:42pm Permalink
newageblues (not verified)

"Should you smoke marijuana? Probably not. " You go too far with this comment. I'm sorry that the adults around you used cannabis and were such lousy parents, but I think you're generalizing way too much from your individual experience, as when you claim "regular smokers of marijuana have huge emotional issues." Evidence please. If you want to argue that regular cannabis users often have huge financial issues related to black market prices and to the huge employment issues they face because of an arrest for a bogus crime or a 'failed' pissed test, you'd be on a lot more solid ground. Or huge social issues from being treated as scum instead of the responsible citizens they usually are.

Mon, 11/15/2010 - 7:22pm Permalink

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