KCLU special projects reporter John North produced “Medical Marijuana and the Cannabis Controversy.” The hour-long documentary features doctors, researchers and patients, including a man who received medical marijuana from the United States government for 30 years. North interviewed residents and officials from Ventura and Santa Barbara counties as well as national experts.
In 1996, California became the first state in the nation to approve the use of medical marijuana. Today, the estimated number of medical marijuana patients in the state has grown to more than 1 million.
In the 16 years since California voters approved the Compassionate Use Act, 15 states and the District of Columbia have approved similar laws allowing the use of marijuana as medicine and 18 states have pending legislation. According to a Pew Research Center poll, 73 percent of Americans support medical marijuana.