Infographic: Wack Weed Attitudes

Most of the U.S. populace supports legal medical marijuana. Not the feds.

February 21, 2012

TakePart.com Infographic: Marijuana Attitudes and Legislation

Marijuana is such a divisive political issue that few currently elected public officials will advocate weed’s decriminalization. As far as the U.S. federal government is concerned, even legalizing the drug’s medicinal applications is closed for discussion.

Arguments for cannabis prohibition stress protecting children and assume that arresting people for possession of marijuana neutralizes criminals who will otherwise commit more serious offenses—such as rape, robbery and assault.

Marijuana proponents also appeal to emotional reason. Furthermore, the pro-weed crew likes to present its case in stacks of real-world statistics.

Comments 5

Submitted by JewishLumberjack on Wed, 03/07/2012 - 2:44pm
My apologies, I had misread the graphic assuming the figure was state level. I am unable to retract my previous comment, due to lack of the available feature.

Submitted by JewishLumberjack on Wed, 03/07/2012 - 2:40pm
There is a small error in your InfoGraphic. Doctors are not legally permitted to prescribe Cannabis to a patient, as this is all federally regulated and will result in said doctors license being revoked. While regulations vary from state to state, this fact remains true for any state with Medical Marijuana. It's actually a recommendation (sometimes called a certification) that they may receive benefit from Cannabis, which is then recognized by the state (provided a Medical Marijuana law exists, and all regulations and conditions have been met). This is visible in this text of the law in Michigan: Section 333.26423 '(l) "Written certification" means a document signed by a physician, stating the patient's debilitating medical condition and stating that, in the physician's professional opinion, the patient is likely to receive therapeutic or palliative benefit from the medical use of marihuana to treat or alleviate the patient's debilitating medical condition or symptoms associated with the debilitating medical condition.' Or this text of the law in California: Section 11362.5 (b)(1)(A) 'To ensure that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes where that medical use is deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a physician who has determined that the persons health would benefit from the use of marijuana in the treatment of cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine or any other illness for which marijuana provides relief.' While not a particularly important error, but I'm afraid items that are not completely factual may detract from the legitimacy of 100% accurate information.

Submitted by Caroline Gillitzer on Fri, 02/24/2012 - 10:36am
umm...yes the majority of the US supports medical, and a large majority supports recreational use.

Submitted by Caroline Gillitzer on Fri, 02/24/2012 - 10:33am
umm...yes the majority of the US supports medical, and a large majority supports recreational use.

Submitted by Will McDaniel on Thu, 02/23/2012 - 8:08am
Most of the US populace supports legal medical marijuana... BULL...I smell a roach.