Imagine waking up in the middle of the night dripping with sweat. You wake up the next morning feeling tired and sick with the chills. You look in the mirror only to see a small, frail, sick looking body looking back at you. This is just a small taste of what people that have AIDS go through. These people deal with this sickness everyday of their lives. Sometimes even modern medications can't relieve the symptoms of their disease and effects of their treatments they must go through. Shouldn't they be entitled to any medications that can help suppress their everyday pain and suffering. Your first reaction is, "Yes, of course". Would your answer still be "yes" if you were told that sometimes the only drug that can help their pain is marijuana.
A very important and controversial issue is whether or not marijuana should be legal for medicinal use or not. Thirty-six states have already passed legislation to allow marijuana's use as a medicine, but federal law preempts these statutes. Washington State is one of the many states that have passed legislation allowing it. Although many people may think differently, marijuana can help people with debilitating diseases. At times, it may be the best thing to lessen their pain and suffering.
The Washington State Medicinal Marijuana Act (Initiative 692) states in chapter 69.51A, "Patients with a qualifying diagnosis and a physician's recommendation for the medicinal use of marijuana, now have legal defense against criminal prosecution in Washington. It is not however, legalized for recreational use.
Under the Medical Marijuana Act, cultivation of marijuana plants for personal, medical use of patients is permitted. However, cultivation for recreational use is still considered a felony. This act addresses cultivation only for one's personal consumption. There is no concrete standard for numbers of plants can be grown, but there is a sixty day supply limit written into the new law.