Medical-marijuana supporters in Michigan say they have gathered more than enough signatures in a petition drive to get the issue on the ballot, the Detroit Free Press reported Nov. 21.

The Michigan Coalition for Compassionate Care said it has submitted 496,000 signatures from registered voters to the state; only 304,000 are needed to get a medical-marijuana question before the state legislature. If lawmakers don't act on the proposal -- which would make medical use of the drug legal under state law -- it would be placed on the 2008 ballot.

The state's Democratic party has endorsed medical marijuana in theory, but a spokesperson for Senate Republican leader Mike Bishop said that there may not be much support for the proposal in the legislature.

The Michigan proposal limits medical-marijuana use to a narrow list of illnesses, supporters said.