Five more Western states, plus the District of Columbia, will vote on similar proposals next Tuesday, and polls released by supporters this week suggest they will win handily. Police, prosecutors and federal officials are beside themselves with frustration. Excuse me, but it could be both. The initiatives' popularity raises the question of how, after years of anti-drug ads and horror stories, so many people still view marijuana as a benign force. Excuse me again, but it could be both.
Many dangerous drugs are medically available.
If some or all of the initiatives pass next week in Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, Alaska and the District of Columbia, political leaders and police will have to deal with the fact that the new state laws will be at odds with federal law on the subject. Members of Congress might start to re-evaluate their position. It is not entirely an accident that medical marijuana is catching on now. A group called Americans for Medical Rights, headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif., is pushing the crusade with small staffs in several states. The campaign is airing commercials that stress the theme of compassion.