Michigan Passes Proposal 1

By: Nick Baker

Proposal 1, law legalizing marijuana for medical use in the state of Michigan, is expected to pass with 63 percent voting yes with 80 percent reporting.

Marijuana has been proven to alleviate pain in certain types of Cancer, HIV/AIDs, Glaucoma, Multiple Sclerosis and others. The THC in marijuana additionally enhances appetite for those who have lost it due to their illness or medication.

Under Proposal 1, citizens with serious or terminal illness will be able to use marijuana for medicinal purposes. Also, those with medical permission can cultivate a small number of plants for their own use.

Proposal 1 has safeguards, used to keep the drug from having regulation difficulties. Each patient who gets prescribed medicinal marijuana receives an ID card, allowing them to receive the drug and also to protect them from prosecution. Doctor’s are also only allowed to prescribe the drug to a certain number of people; five being their maximum.

Michigan is now the 13th state to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes; with other states including Rhode Island, California and New York. Michigan is also the first Midwestern state to pass such a law, with all other states being on the West and Northeastern parts of the county.

With such an enormous amount of yes votes over no, Michigan voters must have felt strongly about its citizen’s right to use marijuana for medicinal purposes. Lee Syrjanen, a student at Central Michigan University, believes that Proposal 1 can help those who need it.

“I supported Proposal 1,” said Lee. “Watching family members die of severe and critical illnesses. First hand experience led me to support a bill such as this.”

Some are afraid that the passing of Proposal 1 will create some problems such as substance abuse and drug regulation difficulties. Kevin Derda, a CMU student whose grandfather will benefit from Proposal 1, thinks the good outweighs the bad.

“I voted yes on Prop 1 because my grandpa suffers from MS and could really use the marijuana for help,” said Kevin. “I think anything bad that comes from this can’t be worse than how much those that need it would suffer if it didn’t.”