Amongst ballot measures to raise taxes on natural gas and strengthen an ethics law against casinos, Arkansas is close to getting a measure for Medical Marijuana on its fall ballot. It seems as though if the measure focuses on it as a medicinal treatment, not for recreational use, then there is a good chance it will pass. From Americans for Safe Access (ASA):

It is the latest version of a long-running effort to get a medical marijuana law on the election ballot. It’s a detailed proposal, full of regulation aimed at presenting the appearance of law aimed truly at medicinal, rather than recreational, use. If the polling is accurate, this measure should pass if it reaches the ballot. The petition gathering has been far quieter than that of some other measures, but no less, maybe more, organized and persistent. Fears of “Reefer Madness” have long been put to rest with most people. Far more persuasive are the stories of sick people who’ve found relief from marijuana that no other substance can provide, as Cheree Franco wrote in the Times.

The topic comes to mind this morning because the New York Times has written about how the federal government’s persistence in enforcing laws against marijuana sales has caused problems in cities and states where medical use of marijuana has been legalized.

Read the full article on ASA’s website here.