As the legalization of recreational use of Marijuana spreads across the United States, many are speculating about the onslaught of changes it will bring. Marijuana use in the medical field is far from news, as the medical properties of marijuana have been used in the pro column in the discussion about legalizing recreational use- but how will it affect the patients?
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Washington state has had medical marijuana on the law books since 1998. While it was a step in the right direction, at first this legalization was lacking. It only created an affirmative defense for patients. This means that a patient could be arrested for possession; however, if they are authorized by a healthcare provider to posses a 60-day supply, then they had a valid legal defense in a trial.