PROP. 203 SETS MEDICAL MARIJUANAON RIGHT LEGAL, FINANCIAL PATHS

The Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, Proposition 203, will be on the
ballot this November. If it passes, Arizona will be the 15th state to
legalize the use of medical marijuana. It is important to look beyond
the misrepresentations and scare tactics of those who oppose
Proposition 203 to what 203 actually will do if passed. Those who
oppose Proposition 203 are largely the ones making money from the
current marijuana laws, including law enforcement, politicians,
pharmaceutical companies, drug counselors, lawyers, and those amassing
huge fortunes in the illegal marijuana market. "The real story on
medical marijuana" which appeared recently in this paper is a good
example. The guest column is written by Carolyn Short, the chairperson
of Keep Arizona Drug Free (KADF) and a retired lawyer from Paradise
Valley. Ed Gogek, the co-author, is a substance abuse counselor.

Anti-203 groups like KADF focus on abuses that have occurred in
California, Montana and Colorado rather than what Proposition 203 will
do in Arizona. Most of their assertions are unsupported by any
credible evidence and instead rely upon unsubstantiated anecdotes ("90
percent get their marijuana for pain, and that pain can be anything
from a sprained ankle to a skateboarding injury. One woman got
marijuana because her high heels hurt."). In fact, the initiative
requires "qualifying patients" to be diagnosed with one of the
specific diseases listed or to suffer from a "debilitating medical
condition" that produces severe and chronic pain. [36-2801.01]

Proposition 203 also expressly addresses other concerns that have
arisen with the medical marijuana laws in other states. The medical
marijuana dispensaries will be regulated by the Arizona Department of
Health Services (ADHS) and the number of dispensaries is capped, the
location of dispensaries is limited and away from school zones, and
patients cannot consume their medicine at the dispensaries.

Unlike other states, 203 would only authorize the use of marijuana for
specific medical diseases and conditions, including cancer, HIV/AIDS,
Alzheimer's disease, glaucoma, Crohn's disease and multiple sclerosis.
Proposition 203 also requires a doctor's approval and certification
and a state-issued permit for legal marijuana use. The amount of
medicine would be limited to 2.5 ounces and patients could only
purchase their medicine from tightly regulated clinics or dispensaries
or grow up to 12 plants if they live more than 25 miles from a dispensary.

According to Dr. Andrew Weil, director of Tucson's Arizona Center for
Integrative Medicine, recent studies have shown the benefits of
Cannabis for treating nausea, vomiting, premenstrual syndrome,
insomnia, migraines, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, alcohol
abuse, arthritis, asthma, atherosclerosis, bipolar disorder,
depression, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, sickle-cell
disease, sleep apnea, Alzheimer's disease and anorexia nervosa. Most
exciting is the role Cannabis could have in cancer treatment and
prevention. According to Dr. Weil, this would be a huge advantage over
conventional chemotherapy treatment. The National Cancer Institute
confirms inhaling smoked marijuana delivers therapeutic benefits more
effective than taking pills containing the same active ingredient.

Even when the actual content of Proposition 203 is addressed by KADF
and the anti-203 forces, claims are exaggerated and contradicted by
the actual text of the initiative. ("Surgeons, teachers, and truck
drivers can go to work high and can't be fired.") If 203 passes,
drivers using marijuana, like alcohol, will continue to be arrested
and prosecuted if there is probable cause for an officer to believe
the driver is impaired to the slightest degree [36-2802]. An employer
can also take action against an employee for using, possessing or
being impaired while at work. [36-2813] and a physician still can be
sanctioned by the licensing board for failing to properly evaluate a
patient or violating the standard of care. [36-2811]

Finally, legal marijuana may also provide a significant source of
revenue for Arizona while saving millions of tax dollars now spent
arresting, prosecuting and incarcerating medical marijuana users. The
California Board of Equalization estimates sales taxes from their 2010
initiative alone will generate $1.3 billion a year.

Allowing the regulated use of medial marijuana will help the seriously
ill, like Heather Torgerson, the chair of the Arizona Medical
Marijuana Policy Project and brain cancer patient, while reducing the
demand for illegal drugs, improving our border security and hurting
illegal drug cartels.

Vote Yes on Proposition 203.

Lee Phillips is a member of the National Organization for Reform of
Marijuana Laws' (NORML) Legal Committee and a local attorney.