SEPTEMBER 1998

NUMBER ONE

Reefer Madness
Fierce Fight Over Medical Marijuana.

Cannabis-a.k.a. marijuana, Mary Jane, weed, tree, reefer, et al.-has been used for many years to help people with cancer and AIDS overcome nausea caused by chemotherapy, medications, and illness. Studies of medical marijuana (Marinol) consistently show it helps boost appetite and alleviate nausea, making it less toxic and cheaper than conventional medicine for treating HIV-related wasting and malnutrition. With so many benefits, why are government officials and politicians going nuts over medicinal pot use?

Two states, Arizona and California, have passed laws that permit use of marijuana under a physician's supervision. Additionally, as of June, 35 states had enacted favorable laws that enable some patients to use medical marijuana even within the confines of federal prohibition, according to the Marijuana Policy Project. But the war is just heating up. These states cannot protect patients from federal prosecution, nor can they actually help patients get access. In June, California's Attorney General Dan Lungren, a major opponent of medical marijuana, went after the Cannabis Cultivators Club of California and shut it down. That has left thousands of HIV-positive customers scrambling to find a legal source of pot, according to MPP. Physicians who recommended or prescribed marijuana for medical use were also threatened with sanctions. As it stands, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, which means it has "a high potential for abuse."

The medical-pot battle is being played out with major initiatives in other states, including Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and the District of Columbia. It's also being debated in Congress, where the "anti-medicinal marijuana bill," or HR 372, has been introduced. If passed, HR 372 would override any state law legalizing medical pot.

HR 372's fiercest backers include conservative politicians and public officials who take a "Just Say No" position on medical pot. Those who support legalizing marijuana use for ill patients include HIV-positive patient groups, the "pot reform" lobby, and a bevy of prestigious medical groups, including the American Medical Association. Other groups stand unified against federal efforts to criminally target doctors who inform their patients about medical marijuana.

Opposition to HR 372 has grown rapidly among progressive Dem-ocrats. Meanwhile, polls show that 60 percent to 65 percent of Americans support legalizing the therapy. "I'm hopeful that Republicans have made the distinction between the war on drugs and medical marijuana, as has the American public," says Keith Strope, executive director of NORML, a national marijuana reform lobby.

With the vote on HR 372 pending (as of July), HIV advocates were urging everyone opposed to the bill to contact their congressional representatives: No to HR 372 is the word.

Meanwhile, the Brits are leaving us in the dust. Britain's Home Office recently awarded licenses to two companies to cultivate marijuana for investigative medical use. The move drew strong support from the British Medical Association.