The current move to legalize medical marijuana grew out of the discovery by AIDS patients that the same dope-smoking known for inducing insatiable munchies gave them back some of their lost appetite. Marijuana became a weapon to fight what doctors had begun calling wasting syndrome that left them hollow-eyed and emaciated. Researchers are working on a patch, like the one used to help the nicotine-addicted quit smoking, and a method of inhaling marijuana that would eliminate the toxicity of smoking it. Colorado voters won't have the luxury of waiting for either device to be perfected. So CALM and Coloradans for Medical Choice are busy gearing up for a vigorous campaign.
Proponents have history on their side.
No state's voters have nixed a medical marijuana initiative. In 1998, Denver pollster Floyd Ciruli found just slightly less lopsided support among Coloradans. That's one reason, Poliac said, that he's not too worried about going to jail. The Denver Post.