Open AccessState Medical Marijuana Laws: Understanding the Laws and Their Limitations
Author(s) -
Rosalie Liccardo Pacula,
Jamie F. Chriqui,
Deborah A. Reichmann,
Yvonne M. TerryMcElrath
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of public health policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.465
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1745-655X
pISSN - 0197-5897
DOI - 10.2307/3343240
Subject(s) - public health law , law , state (computer science) , law enforcement , enforcement , context (archaeology) , ballot , political science , confusion , public health , health policy , health care reform , health care , psychology , medicine , politics , voting , computer science , paleontology , nursing , algorithm , psychoanalysis , biology
Significant attention has been given to the debate regarding allowances for medical marijuana use since the 1996 California and Arizona ballot initiatives. State medical marijuana allowances, however, have existed since the mid-1970s. Much of the current debate stems from confusion about the various ways states approach the issue. In this paper, we present original legal research on current state medical marijuana laws identifying four different ways states statutorily enable the medical use of marijuana. We discuss the tension these approaches have with federal law as well as their implications regarding real access for patients. In addition, we present information on how a small number of states are trying to deal with the issue of access within the context of their medical marijuana laws, and discuss the implication of various supply approaches on the enforcement of other state marijuana laws.
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