Nov. 5, 1996 – California Becomes First State to Legalize Medical Marijuana

“Voters in California [pass] a state medical marijuana initiative in 1996. Known as Proposition 215, it permits patients and their primary caregivers, with a physician’ s recommendation, to possess and cultivate marijuana for the treatment of AIDS, cancer, muscular spasticity, migraines, and several other disorders; it also protects them from punishment if they recommend marijuana to their patients.”