Supporters

"Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man ... It would be unreasonable, capricious, and arbitrary for DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance."

-- DEA Administrative Law Judge Francis L. Young

More than 170 South Dakota doctors and nurses voiced their support for Initiated Measure 4. Furthermore, numerous organizations and the vast majority of the public support safe and legal access to medical marijuana for people with serious illnesses. Some of the many supporters are listed below.

The Public

In other states, voters have approved medical marijuana initiatives every time they have appeared on the ballot:

  • California (1996)
  • Alaska (1998)
  • Oregon (1998)
  • Washington (1998)
  • Washington, D.C. (1998)
  • Colorado (2000)
  • Nevada (2000)
  • Montana (2004)

These state medical marijuana laws have only grown more popular since they've been in effect. A 2004 Field poll found that 74% of Californians support their state's medical marijuana law. Nationwide, an October 2005 Gallup poll found 78% of American adults favor "making marijuana legally available for doctors to prescribe in order to reduce pain and suffering.

Organizations

National Organizations

Below is a small sampling of the national organizations supporting safe and legal access to medical marijuana.

Health and Medical

  • AIDS Action Council
  • American Academy of Family Physicians
  • American Academy of HIV Medicine
  • American Nurses Association
  • American Preventive Medical Association
  • American Public Health Association
  • Lymphoma Foundation of America
  • National Association of People With AIDS

Religious

  • Episcopal Church
  • Presbyterian Church (USA)
  • Progressive National Baptist Convention
  • Union of Reform Judaism (formerly Union of American Hebrew Congregations)
  • Unitarian Universalist Association
  • United Church of Christ
  • United Methodist Board of Church and Society

Legal

  • American Bar Association
  • National Association of Attorneys General

State Organizations

Some of the dozens of state organizations that have endorsed medical access to marijuana, include:

  • The state medical societies of California, New York, and Rhode Island
  • 12 state nurses associations
  • Associated Medical Schools of New York
  • California Pharmacists Association
  • New York State Hospice and Palliative Care Association
  • United Nurses and Allied Professionals (Rhode Island)
  • Wisconsin Public Health Association.