Arizona's top federal prosecutor launched a pre-emptive strike against the state's medical-marijuana industry Monday, warning prospective pot growers and sellers that they could be prosecuted under federal drug-trafficking laws.

U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke, joining a growing chorus of federal law officers across the country, said his office will abide by a 2009 Justice Department memo that discourages prosecution of medical-marijuana users. But he said anyone who possesses or distributes marijuana is still violating federal law. And he singled out large operations.

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Potential medical marijuana users are just a few weeks away from being able to legally grow their own pot in Arizona.

And it's likely that people who receive medical marijuana user cards before October will be able to continue growing their own legal pot for a year.

The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) released its final draft rules Monday that implement the medical marijuana law voters approved this past fall. The agency posted the rules, applications and FAQs on its website Monday at www.azdhs.gov.

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Republicans won big on election night. But politicians lost.

At the same time that Arizona voters swept in a Republican governor and a veto-proof number of Republican legislators, they told the politicians that they couldn't have the money they'd asked for in Propositions 301 and 302, and told them as well that they couldn't keep suffering people from using marijuana.

Like all politicians, the folks now in office will praise voters for having the wisdom to elect them and then claim that those same voters were "fooled" into approving something like medical marijuana.

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Would-be patients hoping to get some medical marijuana now that voters have approved the law should not hold their breath.

State Health Director Will Humble said Monday Proposition 203 gives his agency 120 days from the time the election results are certified - -- now set for Nov. 29 -- to come up with the rules and regulations of how the system will operate.

Theoretically, he said, that should allow doctors to begin writing the legally required recommendations for patients in early April. But Humble said they may not have any place to purchase their drugs, at least not legally.

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PHOENIX (AP) -- By a narrow margin, Arizona voters have approved medical marijuana for people with chronic or debilitating diseases.

The decision makes Arizona the 15th state to have approved a medical marijuana law. California was the first in 1996, and 13 other states and the District of Columbia followed.

The ballot measure on the issue, Proposition 203, won by just 4,341 votes out of more than 1.67 million ballots counted, according to final tallies announced on Saturday.

The approval came as something of a surprise. At one point on Election Day, the measure trailed by about 7,200 votes. The gap gradually narrowed until it edged ahead during counting on Friday. The final tally was 841,346 in favor and 837,005 opposed.

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U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl led a group of Republican officials Wednesday denouncing a ballot measure that would allow medical marijuana.

"Marijuana for medical treatment is the foot in the door for legalization," Kyl said at a news conference opposing Proposition 203.

McCain, who is running for a fifth term, pointed out that the medical community has declined to back medical marijuana.

"We obviously have great sympathy for those who struggle in pain or discomfort from debilitating diseases and medical conditions," McCain said, "but this proposition is not the solution."

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Medical marijuana's history in Arizona dates back 14 years.

Voters first approved its use in 1996 by a 65-percent margin, but the Legislature overturned it. That was part of the reason voters approved another voter initiative in 1998 that prevents the Legislature from overturning voter-approved initiatives and referendums.

The Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project, which led the effort to get the Prop. 203 medical marijuana measure on the Nov. 2 statewide ballot, says its poll found exactly the same support in Arizona for medical marijuana these days, at 65 percent.

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State Health Department Fears Cost, Regulatory Challenges Over Proposition 203

If voters approve the medical-marijuana ballot proposition Nov. 2, health officials say the cash-strapped state will have to spend up to $1 million and work under a tight deadline to implement the law.

The Arizona Department of Health Services, which opposes the proposition but would be charged with regulating medical marijuana, says Proposition 203 would create huge obstacles for the department. It already is coping with budget and staff cuts and would need to work fast to set up a monitoring system to prevent marijuana from being handed out without department oversight.

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Arizona Medical Marijuana Act

Prop. 203 is about compassion, control and common sense.

The purpose of the proposed law is to allow seriously ill patients, whose doctors believe they would benefit from the use of marijuana, to acquire the medicine they need under tightly regulated conditions.

Unlike California, where it's possible to get a doctor's recommendation to use marijuana for almost any condition, only patients with a limited number of serious and debilitating conditions, including cancer, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's, and multiple sclerosis, will be able to acquire medical marijuana in Arizona.

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If medical marijuana dispensaries open in Pima County, they won't be allowed to locate in neighborhoods.

In anticipation state voters will decriminalize marijuana for medical use Nov. 2, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved code changes about how medical marijuana will be grown and sold. The local regulations go above and beyond language in the statewide ballot measure.

While Proposition 203 - the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act - regulates who would be able to use marijuana, it does not restrict the location of marijuana dispensaries, aside from being at least 500 feet from schools.

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Party Considers Legalization Efforts In Swing States Amid Signs California Measure Is Exciting Young, Liberal Voters

Democratic strategists are studying a California marijuana-legalization initiative to see if similar ballot measures could energize young, liberal voters in swing states for the 2012 presidential election.

Some pollsters and party officials say Democratic candidates in California are benefiting from a surge in enthusiasm among young voters eager to back Proposition 19, which would legalize marijuana in certain quantities and permit local governments to regulate and tax it.

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The possibility of marijuana dispensaries being legalized has the city of Yuma working on zoning regulations just in case.

City spokesman Greg Hyland told the Yuma Sun that the Community Development Department is working on zoning regulations, but stressed that the public process is long.

"It's in the works, but it's way too early for details," Hyland said.

Arizona's top health official said he warns cities and counties to get their zoning regulations in order - and soon.

State Health Director Will Humble said if voters approve Proposition 203 next month, it falls to him to approve the license requests for the approximately 120 marijuana dispensaries that will be allowed to open up around the state, as well as the sites each of them is using to cultivate the crop.

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Claims marijuana could be sold on mobile "cannabis caravans," pot grown in expansive cooperatives and baked in brownies for nursing home residents, are driving the debate over a proposition to decriminalize marijuana for medical use on the Nov. 2 ballot.

Proposition 203 - the Medical Marijuana Act, identifying illnesses that would qualify patients to use marijuana - was placed on the ballot by citizen initiative, and follows 14 other states that already have legalized marijuana for medical use.

Proponents say Arizona's measure has more regulation than those in other states.

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This guest opinion was written by Andrew Myers, campaign manager for the Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project:

Why should Arizonans not be concerned about possible increased crime associated with medical marijuana dispensaries?

Proposition 203 would make the medical use of marijuana legal and safely accessible to patients through state-licensed dispensaries. It would establish a tight and sensible system of regulation for the cultivation and distribution of medical marijuana.

We have learned a great deal since initiatives in California and Colorado passed about the kinds of regulations that are needed.

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COTTONWOOD - A crowd of mainly Democratic Party members Thursday parsed the words of two advocates, one who supports and one who disparages Proposition 203, the Medical Marijuana initiative.

Ivan Anderson works for the Verde Valley Fire District and for three years has been an educator for MATForce, the non-profit organization to discourage various types of drug abuse.

Andrew Myers is one of the five people who drafted Proposition 203, the "medical marijuana" initiative before voters in November. MATForce has published a number of talking points that became the structure of the debate. Anderson told the group he would not debate the medical merits of marijuana.

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Editor's note: This story is the third in a series explaining the 10 propositions that will appear on the Nov. 2 general-election ballot.

PROPOSITION 203: Arizona Medical Marijuana Act

Proposition 203 would legalize marijuana for medicinal use.

Licensed physicians would be able to recommend medical marijuana to patients with debilitating medical conditions, which include cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C and Alzheimer's disease. Other conditions can be added to the approved list by the Arizona Department of Health Services through a public-petition process.

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PHOENIX - Heather Torgerson wrote a college paper against the use of medical marijuana. Today, however, she says what once seemed so wrong then is the reason she's survived brain cancer.

She almost had to stop treatment after chemotherapy and radiation left her nauseated and fatigued. When prescriptions and homeopathic remedies didn't reverse her weight loss, she turned to marijuana.

Torgerson said her appetite returned within five minutes.

"I owe my life to it," she said.

As chair of the Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project, Torgerson says many Arizonans would benefit if voters approve Proposition 203, a ballot measure that would legalize the medical use of marijuana.

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Some East Valley cities are weighing restrictions on medical marijuana dispensaries, fearing the shops could proliferate if voters approve a November ballot initiative that legalizes some uses of the drug.

The prescription pot shops have exploded in some California cities and have irked even supporters of the substance. Mesa and Tempe officials are studying whether they should have zoning regulations in the works by election time so the shops can't simply open any place they'd like.

Mesa has begun to study the issue at the request of some members of the City Council. They want to avoid seeing the shops dominate some parts of town just as massage parlors and payday loan stores have in recent years. While Mesa eventually restricted placement of new payday loan stores, it couldn't do anything about the existing clusters.

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As debate over Arizona's medical-marijuana proposition heats up, physicians across the state say the proposition is a double-edged sword.

Physicians agree that marijuana can provide relief for patients with serious illnesses, but they also find ethical dilemmas in recommending a drug that is not federally approved. Others warn against the potential for abuse similar to prescription pills.

If voters approve Proposition 203 on Nov. 2, licensed physicians would be able to recommend medical marijuana to patients with debilitating medical conditions, including cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C and Alzheimer's disease.

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Says initiative based on flawed drug theories

PHOENIX - Arizona's top health official says voters should reject a ballot measure that would allow doctors to recommend marijuana to their patients.

There probably are some people who would benefit by being able to inhale the now-illegal substance, said Will Humble, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. These include those who have nausea from chemotherapy and individuals who need an appetite stimulant to keep from wasting away.

But Humble said health chiefs from other states with similar laws told him the vast majority of the "medical marijuana" cards they issued were for people with "severe and chronic pain."

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PHOENIX -- Arizona's top health official says voters should reject a ballot measure that would allow doctors to recommend marijuana to their patients.

Will Humble said there probably are some people who would benefit by being able to inhale the now-illegal substance. These include those who have nausea from chemotherapy and individuals who need an appetite stimulant to keep from wasting away.

But Humble said health chiefs from other states with similar laws told him the vast majority of the "medical marijuana' cards they issued were for people with "severe and chronic pain.' Humble said that, at best, is subjective.

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Effort to Legalize Drug's Use by the Ill Earns Enough Support for Ballot Spot

The deadline to file petitions to get an initiative on the Nov. 2 statewide ballot is still a month away, but on Tuesday an effort to legalize medical marijuana became the first to qualify for a spot.

The Secretary of State's Office on Tuesday determined that the Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project had submitted enough valid signatures to qualify. In April, the group turned in 252,000 signatures; they needed at least 145,698 valid signatures.

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PHOENIX - It looks like Arizonans are going to get to decide whether they want to be able to use marijuana for medical reasons.

Backers of a plan to let doctors provide written recommendations for marijuana turned in petitions Wednesday with what they said are about 252,000 signatures in support of the plan. That is nearly 100,000 more than need to be found valid to put the question on the November ballot.

If approved, Arizona would become the 15th state in the nation with a medical marijuana law.

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PHOENIX -- A Phoenix political consultant has launched a campaign designed to convince Arizonans not to allow medical marijuana in the state.

Max Fose has formed a campaign committee called "Stop The Pot." Campaign finance reports show he is the only contributor to date, having put up $2,500.

Fose did not return repeated phone calls asking him his interest in the issue or whether he is fronting for some other organization.

But Web pages already erected by the committee appear designed both to alarm Arizonans about the effects of the ballot measure and undermine the credibility of the national Marijuana Policy Project, which is funding the Arizona initiative.

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Proposed legislation that would tax medical marijuana - if voters legalize it this fall - narrowly passed the state Senate on Thursday thanks to a split among Republicans.

The bill passed with a vote of 17-12 after five Republicans, including Senate President Bob Burns, R-Peoria, supported it. It now goes to the House for consideration.

Senate Bill 1222 would make medical marijuana subject to the state sales tax, which right now is at 5.6 percent. Most drugs and medical supplies are exempt from this tax. It would also tack on a $20-per-ounce luxury tax.

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Marijuana reform advocates say patients in need of herbal pain medication are closer to relief, as efforts increase in Arizona to turn out support for a proposition in favor of the legalization of medical marijuana.

To date, The Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project says it has collected more than 130,000 voters' signatures -- approximately 23,000 short of the 153,000 voter signatures required to get the proposition onto the November 2010 ballot.

"There are thousands of sick Arizonans who need medical marijuana for pain relief," said Andrew Myers, campaign manager for the project.

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On May 14, the Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project (AMMPP) filed language with the Secretary of State's office with the intent to place the issue of medical marijuana on the November 2010 ballot.

AMMPP's initiative would make the possession of a limited quantity of marijuana and its use legal under Arizona law for certain severely ill patients with a doctor's recommendation. "This is a common-sense law that allows severely ill patients access to medication that they need, while providing strict controls to make sure this medicine is only available to qualified patients," said Andrew Myers, campaign manager for the initiative. "Thousands of patients across Arizona are already using medical marijuana with their doctor's recommendation. These patients shouldn't have to risk arrest and jail just for following their doctor's advice."

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PHOENIX -- A doctor's note will allow Arizonans to buy marijuana -- or even grow the drug in their home -- if a national group seeking voter approval gets its way next year. The group has drafted a measure they hope to get on the 2010 ballot that would legalize medical marijuana here and set up a system of non-profit "dispensaries." Supporters say marijuana use has great benefits for people suffering from serious illnesses ranging from cancer to HIV. But critics have long argued legalizing medical use is a step towards full legalization of a drug they see as a "gateway" to more serious addictions.

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Voters OK'd Prior Efforts Only to See Them Blocked

An initiative planned for the 2010 ballot would ask Arizona voters to legalize medical marijuana, setting up a California-style network of cannabis clubs and even allow some patients to grow their own drug supply.

It's the fourth time since 1996 that state voters have been asked to decriminalize marijuana as a medical treatment. Local supporters, backed by the national Marijuana Policy Project, have their sights set on the 2010 general election and plan to submit ballot language to the Secretary of State's Office as early as next week.

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