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The Medical Marijuana Magazine

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Isn't medical marijuana just the opening wedge to legalize marijuana generally?

Most of the leaders and activists in the "medical marijuana movement," including this writer, favor the complete "legalization" of marijuana for adults. That being the case, it is obvious that we hope and expect medical access to marijuana to be followed by its full "legalization." This is just common sense, but what does this prove? Consider these points:

  1. Our motives are irrelevant to the merits of the arguments. In fact, all of the supporters of medical marijuana whom I know favor medical access to marijuana as an end itself. We know too many sick and disabled people who benefit from medical marijuana. Do you think that only prohibitionists are sincere?
  2. Making something medically available does not automatically mean that it will be legalized for non-medical use. There are all sorts of drugs like morphine, etc. that have been medically available for years without being "legalized."
  3. People who oppose medical access to marijuana because they oppose the legalization of marijuana should decline to use any drug that they do not think should be "legal."
  4. Should sick people have to suffer in order to prevent the possible "legalization" of marijuana?
  5. Having marijuana used by large numbers of people under medical supervision will resolve once and for all the controversy over the "side effects" of marijuana. This will result in the "legalization" of marijuana only if marijuana is not found to be the terribly dangerous drug that the prohibitionists claim it to be. We are confident that this will be the outcome, and if we are right then the result will be the "legalization" of marijuana and the discrediting of those who have lied to justify the arrests of millions of people and the suppression of a valuable medicine. Should it be otherwise?

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