1998 Washington Initiative 692
Shall the medical use of marijuana for certain terminal or debilitating conditions be permitted and physicians authorized to advise patients about medical use of marijuana? | ||||||||||||||||
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Initiative 692 (I-692 or the Medical Use of Marijuana Act) was an initiative in the November 1998 election in the U.S. state of Washington. The initiative was to permit patients with certain debilitating conditions to use medical marijuana. Voters approved this initiative with 59% of ballots cast in favor.[1]
Text of initiative
Ballot Title
Shall the medical use of marijuana for certain terminal or debilitating conditions be permitted and physicians authorized to advise patients about medical use of marijuana?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
Ballot Measure Summary
This measure would permit the medical use of marijuana by patients with certain terminal or debilitating conditions. Non-medical use of marijuana would still be prohibited. Physicians would be authorized to advise patients about the risks and benefits of the medical use of marijuana. Qualifying patients and their primary caregivers would be protected from prosecution if they possess marijuana solely for medical use by the patient. Certain additional restrictions and limitations are detailed in the measure.[2]
Campaign organization
The campaign to pass I-692 was funded by a California-based non-profit organization called Americans for Medical Rights. This group was funded by businessmen George Soros, John Sperling, and Peter Lewis.[3]
Results
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 1,121,851 | 58.97 |
| No | 780,631 | 41.03 |
| Total votes | 1,902,482 | 100.00 |
By county
Although it passed statewide, the initiative was rejected in 9 counties: Adams, Cowlitz, Garfield, Grant, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Stevens, and Yakima.[4]
| County[4] | Yes | No | Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 1,586 | 42.93% | 2,108 | 57.07% | -522 | -14.13% | 3,694 |
| Asotin | 3,339 | 57.32% | 2,486 | 42.68% | 853 | 14.64% | 5,825 |
| Benton | 23,306 | 54.06% | 19,806 | 45.94% | 3,500 | 8.12% | 43,112 |
| Chelan | 11,822 | 56.53% | 9,092 | 43.47% | 2,730 | 13.05% | 20,914 |
| Clallam | 14,824 | 55.24% | 12,011 | 44.76% | 2,813 | 10.48% | 26,835 |
| Clark | 51,062 | 53.00% | 45,289 | 47.00% | 5,773 | 5.99% | 96,351 |
| Columbia | 871 | 50.17% | 865 | 49.83% | 6 | 0.35% | 1,736 |
| Cowlitz | 13,769 | 47.53% | 15,201 | 52.47% | -1,432 | -4.94% | 28,970 |
| Douglas | 5,014 | 55.15% | 4,077 | 44.85% | 937 | 10.31% | 9,091 |
| Ferry | 1,471 | 55.11% | 1,198 | 44.99% | 273 | 10.23% | 2,669 |
| Franklin | 5,325 | 50.65% | 5,189 | 49.35% | 136 | 1.29% | 10,514 |
| Garfield | 594 | 46.96% | 671 | 53.04% | -77 | -6.09% | 1,265 |
| Grant | 8,378 | 46.91% | 9,482 | 53.09% | -1,104 | -6.18% | 17,860 |
| Grays Harbor | 11,485 | 53.29% | 10,067 | 46.71% | 1,418 | 6.58% | 21,552 |
| Island | 14,337 | 57.21% | 10,725 | 42.79% | 3,612 | 14.41% | 25,062 |
| Jefferson | 8,292 | 65.25% | 4,417 | 34.75% | 3,875 | 30.49% | 12,709 |
| King | 408,792 | 66.83% | 202,893 | 33.17% | 205,899 | 33.66% | 611,685 |
| Kitsap | 48,983 | 58.88% | 34,212 | 41.12% | 14,771 | 17.75% | 83,195 |
| Kittitas | 6,174 | 56.73% | 4,709 | 43.27% | 1,465 | 13.46% | 10,883 |
| Klickitat | 3,051 | 48.31% | 3,264 | 51.69% | -213 | -3.37% | 6,315 |
| Lewis | 11,621 | 47.25% | 12,975 | 52.75% | -1,354 | -5.50% | 24,596 |
| Lincoln | 2,066 | 45.72% | 2,453 | 54.28% | -387 | -8.56% | 4,519 |
| Mason | 9,839 | 54.03% | 8,371 | 45.97% | 1,468 | 8.06% | 18,210 |
| Okanogan | 5,914 | 51.20% | 5,637 | 48.80% | 277 | 2.40% | 11,551 |
| Pacific | 4,324 | 55.12% | 3,521 | 44.88% | 803 | 10.24% | 7,845 |
| Pend Oreille | 2,594 | 54.26% | 2,187 | 45.74% | 407 | 8.51% | 4,781 |
| Pierce | 117,659 | 57.54% | 86,812 | 42.46% | 30,847 | 15.09% | 204,471 |
| San Juan | 4,994 | 71.36% | 2,004 | 28.64% | 2,990 | 42.73% | 6,998 |
| Skagit | 18,866 | 54.39% | 15,818 | 45.61% | 3,048 | 8.79% | 34,684 |
| Skamania | 1,801 | 54.00% | 1,534 | 46.00% | 267 | 8.01% | 3,335 |
| Snohomish | 106,569 | 58.01% | 77,133 | 41.99% | 29,436 | 16.02% | 183,702 |
| Spokane | 69,010 | 54.18% | 58,351 | 45.82% | 10,659 | 8.37% | 127,361 |
| Stevens | 6,573 | 48.36% | 7,018 | 51.64% | -445 | -3.27% | 13,591 |
| Thurston | 42,677 | 54.93% | 35,020 | 45.07% | 7,657 | 9.85% | 77,697 |
| Wahkiakum | 950 | 51.41% | 898 | 48.59% | 52 | 2.81% | 1,848 |
| Walla Walla | 8,005 | 50.97% | 7,699 | 49.03% | 306 | 1.95% | 15,704 |
| Whatcom | 32,981 | 59.37% | 22,573 | 40.63% | 10,408 | 18.73% | 55,554 |
| Whitman | 7,434 | 57.27% | 5,546 | 42.73% | 1,888 | 14.55% | 12,980 |
| Yakima | 25,499 | 48.28% | 27,319 | 51.72% | -1,820 | -3.45% | 52,818 |
| Totals | 1,121,851 | 58.97% | 780,631 | 41.03% | 341,220 | 17.94% | 1,902,482 |
See also
References
- ^ Green, Sara Jean (October 3, 2008). "State rule clarifies 60-day supply of medical marijuana". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
- ^ "Proposed Initiatives to the People - 1998". Secretary of State of Washington. 1998. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
- ^ Schaefer, David (November 4, 1998). "Initiative 692 -- States Back Medical Marijuana". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
- ^ a b c Munro, Ralph (November 3, 1998). "Elections Search Results November 1998 General". Secretary of State of Washington. Retrieved March 1, 2026.