The mere mention of the phrase medical marijuana is enough to get at least two groups of people agitated. There are those who believe marijuana should be accessible to patients whose doctors have recommended cannabis to improve their medical condition. These people are angry that the federal government and many states continue to insist that marijuana does not have legitimate medical value.

On the other hand, opponents of medical marijuana fear that the issue is just the first step toward legalizing cannabis (and maybe other outlawed drugs).

Between 1996 and 2001, several developments occurred that have repeatedly brought the medical cannabis debate to the attention of the American public. First, beginning in 1996, voters in many states passed laws permitting access to marijuana for patients who have a doctor's statement verifying medical need. Second, places where people with doctors' statements could...