So far, 26 states and the District of Columbia have existing laws and resolutions establishing therapeutic research programs, allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana or asking the federal government to lift the ban on medical use. In 10 states,similar laws have either been repealed or have expired. And, 15 states have had no medicinal marijuana laws ever.

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Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug; some 77 percent of current illicit drug users use marijuana. According to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, in 1995 an estimated 12.8 million Americans were current illicit drug users -- meaning they had used an illicit drug in the month prior to the survey. This represents 6.1 percent of the population 12 years old and older.

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The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse found that between 1994 and 1995 the rate of marijuana use among youths age 12-17 increased from 6.0 percent to 8.2 percent, continuing a trend that began during 1992-93. Since 1992, the rate of use among youth has more than doubled. Similar trends are evident among both boys and girls; among whites, blacks, and Hispanics; in all four geographic regions; and in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.

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Proponents of medicinal marijuana say it has been used as a therapeutic agent for centuries, and swear by its abilities to help people in pain.

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Critics of the marijuana medical initiative say there is no proof that smoked marijuana is superior to currently available therapies. They insist that using marijuana before its effectiveness and safety are determined may do more harm than help.

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