Michiganders Support Medical Marijuana Access

A March 2008 poll found that 67% of Michigan voters support removing criminal penalties for the medical use of marijuana. And in each of five citywide medical marijuana votes, medical marijuana won in a landslide (with 62% in Flint in February 2007; with 63% in Traverse City and 61% in Ferndale in November 2005; with 74% in Ann Arbor in November 2004; and with 60% in Detroit in August 2004). It's time for the state to follow the lead of these cities and protect seriously ill patients from the threat of arrest and jail.

Until voters enacted Initiated Law 1 of 2008, Michigan patients battling cancer, AIDS, and other life-threatening diseases face prison for trying to relieve their pain. By passing this initiative, we can stop this cruel and unnecessary policy.

What does Michigan's medical marijuana law do?

• Allows terminally and seriously ill patients who find relief from marijuana to use it with their doctors' approval.
• Once the department of community health begins issuing ID cards, it will protect these seriously ill patients from arrest and prosecution for the simple act of taking their doctor-recommended medicine.
• Permits qualifying patients or their caregivers to cultivate their own marijuana for their medical use, with limits on the amount they could possess.
• Creates registry identification cards, so that law enforcement officials could easily tell who was a registered patient, and establish penalties for false statements and fraudulent ID cards.
• Allows patients and their caregivers who are arrested to discuss their medical use in court.
• Keeps commonsense restrictions on the medical use of marijuana, including prohibitions on public use of marijuana and driving under the influence of marijuana.

Read the full text of the initiative.