OzBlog

In 1996, California passed the first Medical Marijuana law in the country. In 2012, there are currently sixteen states that have Medical Marijuana laws:  Alaska, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Michigan, Maine, Arizona, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Delaware, Vermont, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia.  

As of this date, there are eighteen states considering some form of Medical Marijuana legislation. Those states are: Alabama, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

I started wondering: how many people are using medical marijuana to help their conditions? According to state reports, here is the rundown:

It kind of goes without saying that there are a vast number of persons who are not registered in the states listed above or any other states for that matter.

This is really only a snapshot. In Delaware, New Jersey, and Washington D.C., patient registration is mandatory, but they do not have their patient/registry data up and running. Washington state has neither mandatory nor voluntary registration.  In California, becoming a patient is a short process: non-residents and residents alike can be patients, and many are not registered.

The decriminalization of marijuana continues. When that day finally arrives, it will be good to see the decrease in harassment, false arrests, and rights violations for using and cultivating a plant that is safer than aspirin.