Monday, November 16, 1998
Six states pass marijuana legislation
MEASURES: Many voters back drug’s medical use, protection of
prescribers
By Jakub Oleksy
Daily Bruin Contributor
Following in the footsteps of California’s Proposition 215,
voters in six states spoke out against current federal government
policies by passing proposals legalizing marijuana for medical
purposes.
In the Nov. 3 elections, voters in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado,
Nevada, Oregon and Washington passed separate proposals allowing
doctors to prescribe marijuana for patients.
"The government cannot regulate morality," said Anna Hsia, a
second-year political science student, summing up her opinion of
the results.
In Washington, D.C., a similar initiative was voted on, but the
D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics is withholding results in order
to comply with rules set forth by Congress against the use and
possession of marijuana. Most voters supported the initiative,
according to a poll from the initiative’s campaign.
"People are in pain," said Professor Kathleen Boyle of the UCLA
Drug Abuse Research Center. "These people would be happy if the
feds just left them alone."
In 1996, Californians approved Prop. 215 – The Compassionate Use
Act – allowing for patients and their caretakers "who possess or
cultivate marijuana for medical treatment" to be exempt from the
current laws prohibiting these actions.
The proposition also provides protection for physicians who
recommend marijuana for their patients.
Since its passing two years ago, however, the number of
marijuana clubs that appeared soon after Proposition 215 passed
have significantly declined.
The clubs provide marijuana for patients with a marijuana
prescription.
In addition, Boyle said the centers teach people how to smoke.
"There’s a lot of information shared at these centers," she
said.
A conference of 28 marijuana clubs was held in Santa Cruz in
October 1997. Since that time, only three remain, according to
Scott Imler, founder and president of the Los Angeles Cannabis
Research Center.
"The rest have been shut down by government officials and police
since the conference," Imler said.
The Cannabis Research Center, located in West Hollywood, is one
of the three that remain and currently has 548 members.
The newly passed proposals in other states can expect to face
similar difficulty to that of Proposition 215.
Already, Nevada’s state attorney general is refusing to comply
with the measure, and Colorado officials will not certify their
proposal, according to statements.
To further the problems faced by each proposal, recent
congressional hearings reiterated Congress’s stance that marijuana
will remain illegal in all circumstances until further research is
done.
But last week, U.S. District Judge Marvin Katz took an important
step in changing federal policies.
Katz proposed a settlement in which 160 plaintiffs who sought to
guarantee their right to possess marijuana for medical reasons
would be allowed to, under a "carefully monitored, scientifically
controlled" program.
The defendants have asked for 60 days to examine the
proposal.
A huge victory for supporters if approved, Katz’s proposal would
be a milestone in the national fight to legalize marijuana for
medical uses.
The government is also beginning to investigate the medical
benefits of marijuana.
In a recent statement, Attorney General Janet Reno said that
although there is no present scientific support for the medical use
of marijuana, the government has "encouraged research in this area.
That research is ongoing."
One of these studies is currently being conducted at the
University California, San Francisco. The National Institute of
Health, a government agency, is funding the study.
Doctors are examining the medical benefits of marijuana as well
as medical benefits of synthetic drugs that mimic the effects of
marijuana.
The UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital is conducting
another study, which will be performed jointly by Imler and Boyle.
Imler will act as a consultant to Boyle in a university-wide AIDS
Research Program funded project.
This 2-year project will examine the possibility of marijuana to
alleviate symptoms related to HIV/AIDS and its treatment.
"Successful users" – people who benefit from marijuana – will be
interviewed, said Boyle.
"I’m also trying to find people that marijuana didn’t work for,
or who like Marinol (a synthetic drug mimicking the effects of
marijuana) better," said Boyle. So far, she has not been able to
find such patients.
"People like the controllability of marijuana. They can smoke it
until they feel it and then stop," Boyle said. She added that doses
of Marinol are often too high, and leave patients in near
unconscious states.
Many students at UCLA voiced their support of these state
proposals and such research projects.
"Marijuana should be used only if there is concrete evidence
that it helps the patients and it has strict restrictions," said
Julie Dimashkieh, a third- year political science student.
Jill Nakawatase, a second-year chemistry student, agreed. "If it
helps people, why put restrictions on it?"
The support, however, is not overwhelming.
"From early childhood, we are taught that drugs in general are
bad. But now, by legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, we are
deteriorating this view," said Paul Friesen, a first-year computer
science student. "Children can get the wrong message."
As the debate about marijuana on campus continues, the national
debate does the same. But Imler believes that eventually the
politics behind the debate will cease.
"Medical marijuana is a medicine of common sense," Imler
said.JAMIE SCANLON-JACOBS/Daily Bruin
Scott Imler is the president of the Los Angeles Buyer’s Club.
The club provides marijuana to its members for medicinal
purposes.
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