Ballot Measure 74 builds on Oregon’s current medical marijuana law that the ACLU of Oregon helped draft in 1998. Currently, medical marijuana patients can only legally access medical marijuana in two ways: grow it themselves or obtain it from an authorized grower, who by law may only grow for a few people. Other than that, the only way a qualified patient may obtain medical marijuana is on the black market. For many patients the result is that they either cannot access medical marijuana or they must obtain it illegally. The ACLU of Oregon supports de-criminalizing medical marijuana and Measure 74 advances that effort by creating both a legal and safe means for qualified patients to obtain the medication they need.
Measure 74 is the next logical step to provide safe and legal access to medical marijuana in Oregon given the federal prohibitions on medical marijuana. Until the federal government recognizes the medical value of marijuana and treats it like other controlled substances that can be prescribed by a physician and obtained at a pharmacy, Oregon and other states are limited in what we can do.
Measure 74 is a responsible approach in light of those federal restrictions: it creates state licensed and regulated non-profit dispensaries and authorizes broad state rule-making authority around those operations. Patients would still be able to grow their own medical marijuana or get it from a caregiver; this law will be in addition and would provide a new, legal and safe means to obtain medical marijuana.
Measure 74 helps health care providers, patients and even law enforcement. It allows health care providers who are currently recommending medical marijuana to qualified patients to also be able to direct them to safe and licensed facilities where both the patient and doctor can be better assured about the safety and the efficacy of the medical marijuana provided.
Measure 74 would also help law enforcement. Knowing which growers and dispensaries are licensed would allow police to focus on the black market. The state will have enforcement and regulation authority over the licensed growers and dispensaries so they will be monitored. State regulations will be followed or dispensaries will lose their license.
Finally, in putting together the fiscal estimate, the state recognizes that this program will more than pay for itself and could generate an additional $3 to $20 million a year to the Department of Human Services. Measure 74 provides that the additional revenue can be used for low-income assistance for medical marijuana cardholders, scientific research and any other Department of Human Services program, as determined by the Department.
Hear what Tom Potter, former Portland Mayor and Chief of Police, has to say about Measure 74. You can download this on iTunes (please note that Apple's privacy policy differs from ours) or stream it live using Quicktime or Windows Media Player.
