Pharmaceuticals issue brief: medical marijuana: year end report-2002.

During the last few years, the debate over the use of marijuana for medical purposes has moved from the legislative arena into the public forum. Since 1996, eight states have passed ballot initiatives that allow people with certain medical conditions to use marijuana, and now most of those states are wrestling with ways to implement the laws. During the past 24 years, 35 states have enacted laws on medical marijuana; however, several states have either repealed their laws or allowed them to sunset.