Pubdate: Thu, 14 Mar 2002
Source: Prince George's Journal (MD)
Copyright: 2002 The Journal Newspapers
Contact:  http://cold.jrnl.com/cfdocs/new/pg/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/707
Author: Susan Gervasi, Journal Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA URGED

Supporters of a bill that would allow limited medical use of marijuana 
tried to convince delegates Wednesday of its necessity in Annapolis.

Co-sponsored by more than 50 legislators, the Darrell Putman Compassionate 
Use Act would permit doctors to authorize individuals suffering from 
serious illnesses to grow and possess small amounts of the plant.

Putman was a Howard County farmer and cancer patient who smoked marijuana 
for pain relief and became an ouspoken advocate for its usage; he died in 1999.

"Who should decide what medications are right for these terminally ill 
people?" the measure's chief sponsor, Baltimore County Del. Donald E. 
Murphy, asked at a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee. "Doctors. 
Not you, me or the governor. Doctors."

The panel is chaired by Del. Joseph F. Vallario Jr., D-27th-Upper Marlboro.

Murphy's bill would allow doctors to license patients with cancer, 
epilepsy, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease to use marijuana 
- - which some medical evidence suggests can improve appetite, counteract 
nausea and alleviate other symptoms of those diseases and their treatments.

A number of those who spoke in favor of the legislation were former cancer 
patients, including Frederick County Del. David R. Brinkley and Harford 
County Dels. Charles R. Boutin and B. Daniel Riley.

Though none of the lawmakers said they had used marijuana for pain relief, 
all expressed the view that it could help those suffering from the side 
effects of cancer treatment.

"There were lots of patients who couldn't eat, couldn't get anything down," 
said Brinkley, adding that various physicians had expressed favorable views 
of the legislation. "We are on the right track in trying to press for this."

Murphy has tried unsuccessfully to get similar legislation passed during 
the last two sessions, though support has grown.

Marijuana for medical purposes has been legalized in eight states, but its 
possession remains a federal crime.

The U.S. Supreme Court in 2001 held that there's no exception for medical 
use, but didn't strike down state laws allowing it.

Robert N. McDonald, chief counsel of Opinions and Advice for the Maryland 
Attorney General, told lawmakers that this ruling did not preclude Maryland 
from passing its own legislation.

Riley described a friend in so much pain from cancer that - declining a 
suggestion from friends that he try marijuana - he elected to stop 
treatments and to die.

"We buried Larry two months ago," said Riley, who fought back his emotions 
while speaking. "I feel that if we, as a legislative body, could have been 
more compassionate in our decisions, maybe Larry would still be here today."

Baltimore Del. Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, a nurse, said that she had 
originally opposed the legislation, but after reflection had changed her mind.

"I've seen cancer patients suffer from pain you and I cannot begin to 
explain," Nathan-Pulliam said. "They've been given every narcotic doctors 
could give them - demerol, cocaine. If someone is desperate and in pain, 
and they go out to purchase marijuana, they'll be arrested. They should 
have the legal right to that."

Legislators raised several questions of the bill's supporters, including 
the likelihood of medical marijuana users - even if licensed for such use - 
being arrested by federal officials, how police would react to medical 
marijuana users, and how insurance companies might become involved when 
marijuana is advised.

"Are we putting our citizens in harm's way of federal law?" asked Baltimore 
Del. Robert A. Zirkin. "Could we still have the feds come in and arrest our 
citizens under federal law?"

"In the eight states that have this, not one person has been arrested for 
using small amounts of marijuana for medical purposes," responded Murphy, 
adding: "We're trying to make a distinction between recreational use and 
medical. Is there potential for abuse? Sure. But the people who're gonna 
abuse this are already abusing it."

Montgomery Del. Carol Petzold asked witnesses how they obtained marijuana.

"I was able to get it by contacting a drug dealer," said cancer patient 
Paul Boone. "People I didn't want in my house - I wasn't brought up in a 
drug-infested neighborhood."

Boone added that if the bill passes, "I wouldn't have to deal with an 
unsavory element any more."

Though several letters and statements opposing the bill came to the 
committee - including one from former federal drug czar and Empower America 
official William Bennett - only one opponent spoke at the hearing.

"Unfortunately this law goes too far beyond" the issue of pain relief, said 
Douglas P. Steigler of the Family Protection Lobby, who expressed concern 
that the bill could usher in full legalization of marijuana and that under 
the bill, it's use wouldn't be controlled.

"If you could take somebody to a place where this marijuana could be 
smoked, or inhaled, then you could control how it was used, doctors could 
say how much could be used," Steigler said.

"I'm opposed to this bill because you're legalizing people to grow 
marijuana in a situation you can't control."

Bennett weighed in with a March 12 letter to Vallario.

"As a Maryland resident and former director of the Office of National Drug 
Control Policy, I believe that permitting medical marijuana is a bad idea," 
wrote Bennett. "Bad for the patients who would take it and bad for the 
community at large. The increased availability of marijuana that would 
follow legalizing it for medical usage would lead to increased use of the 
drug - by children as well as adults."

If the committee favorably votes out the bill, it will be voted on by the 
full House. If it passes the House, a Senate committee will then take up 
the issue.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager