Prop 215

California Proposition 215

This was a California state proposition on the Nov. 5th, 1995 ballot also know as the Compassionate Use Act of 1996. It passed 55.6 percent to 44.4 percent. It allows the legal use of Marijuana for medicinal purposes to patients with a doctor’s recommendation. Despite the fact, that it is prohibited under the federal law’s Controlled Substance Act of 1970. Besides allowing the medical use of the drug it also allow for those patients to grow and carry the drug with them with out being subject to criminal laws that would prohibit its possession or use. The law also protects the physicians who recommend the drug from punishment under the law.

The Prop 215 campaign was started in San Francisco. By marijuana activist named Dennis Peron. He did it the memory of his lover Jonathan West who used marijuana for AIDS. Initially he organized a proposition know as prop P which passed by 79% of the vote in San Francisco. Although it did not change any law it merely served as a sign of support of Medical Marijuana in San Francisco. Bills were later passed endorsing the medical use of marijuana but were later vetoed by the governor at the time Pete Wilson. In response to the governors veto Mr. Peron organized Californians for Compassionate Use, which was a grassroots volunteer based petition to get enough votes to get on the ballot. The opposition against Prop 215 was law enforcement, elected officials and drug prevention groups. They argued that the passing of this proposition would effectively legalize marijuana because it would allow marijuana to be grown anywhere like backyard or near schools with out any restrictions or regulations. In 2003 a Senate Bill 420 passed addressing provisions of Prop 215.

Although this proposition passed people are still being arrested and prosecuted in California because some counties deemed the bill null and void because it was in conflict with