Where is marijuana use legal?
Medical use of marijuana has been allowed in Canada since 2001, and the Netherlands since 2003. Although it is strictly illegal in Britain, legal authorities have generally taken a lenient attitude towards medicinal users. In most countries, certain marijuana extracts are also available on prescription. California’s Compassionate Use Act of 1996 ensures that “seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes”. Similar acts allow limited marijuana use in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. These state laws remain in effect, so prosecution of users would have to be a federal undertaking.
