NORML's outreach coordinator "Radical Russ" Belville thinks so. In his NORML blog, he cites declining public support and a continuing backlash, and asks, "Has medical marijuana gone as far as it can go?"

Here are some excerpts:

A closer examination reveals a reform strategy that has stalled out and may even be in decline. The last election saw Oregon fail to pass a dispensary measure for the second time with about the same support after six years. South Dakota defeated medical marijuana with only 36% support, a drop of 12 points since they tried in 2006. Arizona only barely passed medical marijuana with 50.13% support, when they had previously seen 65% in 1996 and 64% in a 1998 referendum (both of the '90s Arizona Acts were invalidated).

No state followed California’s lead in making marijuana available by doctor’s recommendation for “any other illness for which marijuana provides relief,” instead crafting strict condition lists and patient registries. The West Coast standard of a dozen or more home-grown plants became three to six plants or no home growing at all. The precedent of a half-pound or more of usable medicine became one or two ounces, tracked to the gram and filmed at all times. Courts all across the Ninth Circuit have ruled that medical marijuana use does not protect patients from job discrimination and patients still experience housing, child custody and medical procedure discrimination on a daily basis.

Colorado legislators passed a series of medical marijuana business regulations making it more difficult and expensive to operate a dispensary than a liquor store and impossible to be a personal caregiver who just supplies marijuana to a patient. Montana outright repealed medical marijuana, saved only by a governor’s veto, only to enact new strict regulations to decimate (literally) the medical marijuana program. California localities continue to restrict dispensary operations. Washington’s governor vetoed a dispensary measure. Arizona’s governor is stonewalling implementation of dispensaries. Alaska, Maine, Nevada and Vermont still have fewer than 1,000 protected patients. New Jersey and District of Columbia leaders are dragging their feet and haven’t implemented their programs yet.

Medical marijuana started a revitalization of marijuana activism. But I believe it has reached a point where any future medical marijuana laws will have to be increasingly restrictive.

Until marijuana is supported as a good thing for all and not an evil thing we allow medical exceptions for, medical marijuana patients will remain in second-class citizenship and healthy marijuana smokers will remain behind bars.

Opinion: Belville would appear to be correct. Medical marijuana has peaked and the focus should turn to taxing and regulating marijuana for all uses, such as last year's failed Prop 19 effort in California. Medical-marijuana is the bridge to outright legalization. But it has become an albatross, with the media constantly poking fun of medical use. Caught by a student puffing a pipe in Bad Teacher, Cameron Diaz casually rationalizes, "It's medicinal." It's a good punch line, but also a punch in the gut to all other users. Diaz's teacher has to hide behind cannabis' medical benefits to justify her use to a student when she should have simply said it was her right and to bug off. In 50/50, which is currently in theaters, Seth Rogen's character is asked why he has a medical card. "I have night blindness," he quips. Ha ha. You get the idea.

We, of course, will continue to support all efforts to legalize medicinal use and expand beyond the current 16 states that have passed laws in favor. But it is our great hope that California, Colorado or another state will be the first to tax and regulate cannabis just like California did with medical marijuana 15 years ago.

Let us know what you think...

Also see::
Gary Johnson: Reschedule Marijuana
Outrage Over Drug Czar's Comments
Ending Marijuana Prohibition Act
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