Supporters of a medical marijuana law in South Dakota are preparing to ask the 2009 Legislature to reconsider the issue.
After the 2005 Legislature rejected a bill to legalize the use of marijuana for legitimate health problems, a 2006 ballot measure drew 48 percent support.
Bob Newland of Hermosa, who has pushed the issue for years, says marijuana can be a savior for people undergoing cancer treatment, dealing with glaucoma, or experiencing severe or chronic pain or nausea.
"That 48 percent is a pretty big hammer to take to the Legislature," he said.
Newland said he's convinced that if the issue returns to the ballot, voters will approve it. That makes it likely that legislators will be more receptive to a real debate over the issue than happened in 2005, he said.
The law enforcement community, however, opposes the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
State Attorney General Larry Long says it would open the door for more illegal marijuana use. Even if South Dakota passed such a law, he argued in 2005 that growth, possession and use of marijuana still would be illegal under federal law.
Under the proposal, a patient could use marijuana if a doctor signed a recommendation saying that cannabis use would benefit the patient. The 2006 ballot initiative limited a qualifying patient to no more than six marijuana plants and one ounce of usable marijuana.
