Remember: 48.56 percent

WHO KNEW the election concerning “medical” marijuana two years ago would be so close? And in Arkansas, too. What a small, wonderfully idiosyncratic state. The same state that re-elected a Republican, Winthrop Rockefeller, as governor in 1968 also voted for a feisty little demagogue playing the race card in presidential politics that strange year-George Wallace. For good measure, Arkansas re-elected a Democrat-J. William Fulbright-as U.S. senator. Can we split our votes or what?

And in 2012, the same state that has dry counties all over the map almost voted to legalize medical marijuana. After all the votes were tallied, 48.56 percent of the electorate voted for the measure. That’s not a misprint-48.56 percent. Round it up to 49 percent. If our questionable math skills can be trusted, that’s almost 50 percent. Or half.

Goodness. This state was close to becoming the first-and only-state in the South to legalize access to marijuana. Which would have been a mistake. A big mistake.

Before the letters start pouring in from the 48.56 percent-again-let’s understand: The drug in marijuana that curbs the pain of some chronic illnesses, and allows patients to feel well enough to eat and keep the weight on, can now be prescribed by doctors in the form of a pill. And can be distributed by licensed pharmacists. Without having little Mary Jane farms all over the state.

A group of physicians in Arkansas came out against medical marijuana in 2012 because, they said, marijuana isn’t medicine. What marijuana is, is a gateway drug. And once it becomes legal in a state, even if it’s “just for medical reasons,” the slope is as slippery as your driveway was this last icy weekend.

Some of those who have promoted the use of marijuana for medical reasons have now started to push itas just another “recreational” drug. Case in point: an outfit in Washington, D.C., called the Marijuana Policy Project. According to one Mason Tvert, its spokesman, the group’s focus has shifted from advocating medical marijuana to just plain ol’ legalization. Although his group is for loosening up the laws on pot around the country, he says it might could provide resources for pro-medical marijuana proposals in Arkansas, too, next time around.

To quote the aforesaid Mr. Tvert: “There was significant support for medical marijuana in the 2012 election, and we would love for Arkansas to be the first Southern state to adopt a medical-marijuana law.”

Well, sure. It’s called getting a foot in the door.

THE 48.56 percent will get another shot at success at the polls next year. Two pro-marijuana groups are trying to get initiated acts on the ballot come 2014. Hundreds of volunteers are said to be collecting thousands of signatures in Arkansas. Others are raising money for the campaign to follow.

Lest we forget, states that now allow marijuana for whatever purpose, and let their residents pretty much smoke ’em if you got ’em, started out by approving just medical-marijuana laws. In 1998, the state of Washington passed a medical-marijuana law, and now recreational use is legal there. Colorado passed its medical-marijuana law in 2000, and a dozen years later, you can get your Rocky Mountain High without much bother.

Note to alert voters: When you see medical marijuana on the ballot again, and you just might, remember what’s going on in Washington state and Colorado. And what’s going in their citizens. So make a note to vote if, or rather when, the marijuana lobby gets its proposal on the ballot. And we don’t mean a vote for pot but against.