government
Medical marijuana initiative proposed for Arizona ballot in November
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted May 24, 2010
Arizona medical marijuana advocates in May submitted a ballot proposal to the state that asks voters to decide whether to legalize use of the drug for patients with debilitating conditions.
Advocates collected more than 250,000 signatures -- well beyond the 153,000 signatures required -- to get the measure on the Nov. 2 ballot. At this article's deadline, the initiative still required final approval from the Arizona Secretary of State's office.
If enacted, the measure would give patients with serious illnesses, such as cancer and AIDS, access to marijuana with a physician's recommendation. It also would set up a state registry to track this access. South Dakota won approval to put a similar initiative on its November ballot.
Fourteen states have medical marijuana laws on the books, and more than a dozen other states are considering similar measures so far in 2010, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, which tracks the legislation.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/05/24/gvbf0524.htm.
