So that once there's medical access, if we continue to do what we have to do, and we will, then we'll get medical, then we'll get full legalization. The impact of this survey in moving the state legislature to act against Proposition 200 in Arizona is instructive for future political battles on this issue. The genius of the three bills that passed the Arizona House and Senate was that they did not disdain the will of the people by openly rejecting Proposition 200, but instead systematically corrected the harmful effects of the ballot initiative. Utilizing the compelling survey findings, a bill was introduced that required all Schedule I drugs to pass the rigorous FDA approval process before they could be prescribed by doctors. The bill was passed by a one vote margin, and signature gathering efforts to overturn this decision are well underway.
More money continues to pour into Arizona and other states to support drug legalization efforts.
The initial passage of these ballot initiatives last November was not surprising, when you consider that the opponents of the measure were outspent 75 to 1. The deep pockets of Mr. Soros produced sound bite ads and professional, high-tech political campaigns that obscured the real issues concerning our nation's drug problem. Despite public cynicism concerning money and politics, the actions of the Arizona State Legislature have emerged as a hopeful sign for democratic government. What happened in Arizona is a significant political and cultural event. The efforts in Arizona demonstrate that a well-informed citizenry can fight back.