Despite complaints that those who legally use marijuana for medical purposes may risk losing their jobs, and despite evidence of broad public support for medicinal use of the drug, some activists have called the proposal "a silent killer" and suggested it should be defeated.
In recent months, the case of Joseph Casias, a 29-year-old cancer sufferer from Michigan, sparked controversy after he was fired from his job at Wal-Mart for failing a drug test due to his use of doctor-prescribed marijuana in a state where it is legal, according to CNN.
However, while supporters of legalization worry that individuals who use cannabis for pain relief in the 14 states where it is legal may risk their employment, opponents argue that because drug addiction is an epidemic and marijuana is "a silent killer," its use should be penalized.
In particular, The Opposition to the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative has vowed to work to defeat the ballot measure for The Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 that has been certified by the State of California to qualify for the November ballot.
"Marijuana legalization infringes on our right to a healthy society and exposes communities to addiction, crime, biohazards, drug dealing and it must be defeated," said the organization’s representative Alexandra Datig.
Meanwhile, the Pew Research Center found that nearly three-quarters of Americans (73 percent) say they favor their state allowing the sale and use of marijuana for medical purposes if it is prescribed by a doctor, while only 23 percent are opposed.