TruthTeller; I'm pretty sure those entities you mentioned are against if for one reason - money. The medical industry ( doctors and the pharmaceutical industry; the real "pushers" ) stand to lose a lot of dough if a natural herb that can be grown in your own yard can ease the suffering of so many people. Not to mention most of these entities you mentioned probably get Federal funding; so yes, they would be against it, in order to appease the hand that feeds them.

montel williams is former Navy and a very smart man..I don't think he tokes out and drinks 40 oz's while listening to lil Wayne. he's been saying for years that marijuana helps him with his MS. SMH at the anti medical marijuana idiots, how can you be so stupid, sheltered and closed minded?

For those of you who think this, if passed, will open the doors for "drug houses", you need to just shut it. I have been in and worked in other states that have legalized medicinal marijuana, and I know people personally that own these dispensaries. They are heavily regulated from the growing aspect to the money aspect of it as well as the people that are allowed to purchase it. Will people abuse the system if passed? Why hell yes. Just the same as those that abuse the ability to purchase alcohol. Will people still continue to grow it illegally? Yep, just like some make their own alcohol. Everyone wants to spout off about the increase in crime if this is passed. Do yourself a favor and do some research. Take all of the different types of crimes committed, violent and non-violent. What percentage of it involves marijuana? Not very much at all. Its the ones that are strung out on coke, crank, those on crack or drunk on booze that commit the majority of crimes, not weed. The number of illegal drug houses will probably stay the same, if not increase. The druggies will always want their meth, coke, crack and whatever else they put in their bodies. Not everyone that smokes weed will be able to go to these dispensaries and get some bud, so they will have to keep going to the drug houses.

Okay, for those who state this issue should be decided based on medicine rather than morals, here's a list of the organizations who are OPPOSED to medical marijuana: The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) The American Cancer Society The American Medical Association The American Glaucoma Society The American Society of Addiction Medicine’s The American Academy of Pediatrics The National Eye The National Cancer Institute The National Institute of Dental Research The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, and National Academies of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine (IOM)

When I look at slide shows and stories with statistics; it seems Arkansas, along with other Dixieland states seem to lead in all the "bad" things; teen pregnancy, poor test scores, poor education, per capita income, the list is long. So we have the best college football conference; boy, that's going to lead our children to prosperity! We can't even pass voting laws without the fed's approval. We have a chance to lead the South into the 21st Century; it ain't much, but it's a start! Let's help Arkansas lead the South out of the "dark ages".

Rocket science? This isn't about legalizing weed; it's about legalizing it for medicinal purposes. Yes, people that already smoke are going to try and get their doctors to write them scrips; but I don't see anyone that doesn't smoke trying it. Those that smoke it, they are going to continue to do so regardless of the law. Those that don't could care less; just like my younger brother, many of his friends, and many of my friends. I imagine guzzler is right; LEO's would rather deal with a mellowed out stoner than a belligerent drunk. And Butch is right also; it's here to stay; and someday it will be legal across the board ( but only when common sense comes back in style as far as our federal, state, and local governments are concerned ).

Of course it will increase but also some crime will decrease- you wont have to be bothered with the low down to calm down or get an appetite- what they need to do is change the stupid side line of who can grow or why and limit it to how much and at what age- yes we dont want people with farms of it on our doorsteps like in CA but being able to grow your own medicine or get quality safe pot from a dispenser isn't so wrong- if you want to get safer - more studies on the ages and use like birth defects real or not? Putting in there for caregivers etc without a amount limit is what will get this stopped wise up people- rewrite it!

NativeSon, since the government collects revenue in the form of licenses, permits and taxes from alcohol, don't you think they should uphold their obligation to the people and spend that money on the damages and deaths associated with alcohol first, before they spend a penny on persecuting, prosecuting and incarcerating people for possessing a product of nature they can grow for free in their own back yard. I may be wrong but unless I'm intentionally endangering the lives of others my constitution does not require me to get approval from anyone for my actions or decisions nor does it entitle anyone the right to approve my actions and decisions.

Let's just pass a law that requires everyone to eat peanuts and/or peanut by products everyday. Prohibition policies such as this one continues to ignore the fact that everyone is equally different in how they react to the products they consume. If it's so wrong for people to possess marijuana to consume under their own freewill which they can grow for free in their own back yard, then some people needs to man up and prove that they can and will accept any and all responsibility for the damages that result from what they believe is right for me purchase to consume.

lets roll another joint........yyeeeeeeeeeeee hiiiiiiiiii