By Dr. Richard Bayer, Co-Chief Petitioner of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act
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OMMP Stays the Same. Measure 91 doesn’t impact the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program. Measure 91 explicitly states that the rights of OMMP cardholders won’t be impacted.
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Research. This law allows state money to be used for research on the benefits and appropriate uses of marijuana. Keeping marijuana illegal has prevented much-needed medical research and clinical trials. Money has already been appropriated for that in Colorado.
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Privacy. Legalization means patients won’t have to get an OMMP card unless they want to. Many patients have privacy concerns about their medical condition or want to keep their medical use completely private.
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Convenience. Measure 91 will make dispensaries more accessible for patients. Too many patients lack safe access to medicine because there is a ban now in their communities. Measure 91 will help provide more locations for patients and everyone.
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Affordability. Medical marijuana remains untaxed under Measure 91.
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Accessibility. Patients that can’t acquire an OMMP card because of a disability or mobility issues will have access. Traveling for the required doctors or clinic visits required to register with the OMMP may be too burdensome with patients battling severe physical disabilities or illnesses.
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Ends stigma. Help end the stigma felt by medical marijuana patients. Despite the legality of medical use, too many patients still face severe discrimination in numerous areas of their lives. Only by legalizing and regulating marijuana, will that stigma eventually end.
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Credibility. Helps legitimize marijuana use for medical purposes. By allowing for necessary research and by eventually ending the stigma associated with personal marijuana use, medical marijuana will continually be further legitimized, as it should, in the eyes of the public and the law.
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Momentum. Legalization in Oregon will only help continue the momentum for sensible marijuana laws, both medical and for adult use. Called the “gold standard” of marijuana law measures by Ethan Nadelmann, the Executive Director of the Drug Policy Alliance, Measure 91, if passed, will help the inevitable change at the federal level to reschedule marijuana and allow for medical use across the country.
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Result of a Yes Vote: “Yes” vote allows possession, authorizes in-state manufacture, processing, sale of marijuana by/to adults; licensing, regulation, taxation by state; retains current medical marijuana laws.
