California Proposition 215 Legalizing Medical Marijuana...

Also known as California Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 made headlines around the country as the first law ever to change the legality of medical marijuana for public consumption statewide. Originating in San Francisco, it was passed by 55.6% of California voters on November 5, 1996 (Human Rights and the Drug War). The ideology behind passing Prop. 215 is that marijuana contains a number of legitimate medical uses and should be made available to those who would benefit from it. The text of the proposed law states that â€Å"seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes where that medical use is deemed appropriate† (NORML, 2009). All patients possessing a reasonable amount of†¦show more content†¦In modern society marijuana has always been considered a sort of taboo subject in the United States due mainly to the fact that it is illegal. Many people don’t realize however that considering the history of our country, marijuana has only been illegal for a relatively short time span. Several of our founding fathers, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, grew marijuana for hemp (the material derived from the plant) regularly and there is even speculation Washington smoked the plant occasionally. Back in those days marijuana did not have the sinister reputation it has today but instead was a vital part of colonial life, with the hemp material having a number of uses including rope, clothing, and paper (West, 1998). It wasn’t until the early 20th century that the public opinion regarding marijuana began to shift and restrictive laws were put in place that would eventually lead to illegalization. While there were many different causes at work, one of the greatest factors that led to this shift in opinion was the media. William Randolph Hearst, owner of the largest and most influential newspaper company at the time, published many exaggerated stories about the dangers of marijuana. Many of them depicted marijuana a deadly and violence-inducing drug while making outrageous claims such as â€Å"hashish goads users to bloodlust† and â€Å"three-fourths of the violent crimes in this country todayShow MoreRelatedThe Failure of Californias Proposition 19694 Words   |  3 PagesCannabis, also known as Marijuana, has been used by humans throughout history for medical, recreational, as well as spiritual purposes. Its fiber, oil, and seed are also refined into products such as hemp oil, wax, rope, cloth, and paper (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2013, para. 1). 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