Pubdate: Fri, 21 Feb 2003
Source: Daily Illini, The (IL Edu)
Copyright: 2003 Illini Media Co
Contact:  http://www.dailyillini.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1292
Cited: Illinois NORML http://www.illinoisnorml.org/
Cited: Students for a Sensible Drug Policy http://www.ssdp.org/
Author: Joann Ku
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

CAMPUS NORML ORGANIZES MEDICAL MARIJUANA WEEK

Speakers, brownies and the showing of a documentary called "Grass" were 
among events celebrating the medical use of marijuana this week.

This week, designated as Medical Marijuana Week, was sponsored by the 
campus chapter of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of 
Marijuana Laws, and SFSDP, Students for Sensible Drug Policy.

NORML and SFSDP began the week by selling brownies and passing out event 
flyers on the Quad on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Danielle Schumacher, president of NORML, thought it was a good way to 
advertise and make a statement.

"It's a clever way to get people's attention," she said. "A lot of people 
don't take this issue seriously. But our efforts seem to be paying off."

She said some people have approached NORML and SFSDP members with negative 
comments, but the organizations have received support from faculty and 
students.

Frank Bryan Vazquez, senior in LAS, bought a brownie to support the medical 
use of marijuana.

"I am totally fine with the usage of medical marijuana," he said. "I see no 
reason why people are against it. I fully support it."

In 1998, Congress passed an Anti-Medical Marijuana resolution. The 
resolution said marijuana is "a dangerous and addictive drug with research 
clearly demonstrating that smoking marijuana impairs normal brain functions 
and damages the heart, lungs, reproductive, and immune systems," according 
to the Marijuana Policy Project Web site.

On Wednesday, Medical Marijuana Week continued with two pro-medical 
marijuana speakers, Bryan Berkner, director of Illinois NORML, and Jamie, a 
man with HIV that has been given state permission to use marijuana for 
medical purposes. Jamie is one of the few people who can legally take 
medical marijuana. Jamie declined to give his last name because of privacy 
issues.

Berkner is currently involved in a lawsuit against the Illinois Department 
of Human Services and is working with the American Civil Liberties Union to 
represent individuals who aren't able to use marijuana for medical 
purposes. The ACLU is a nonprofit organization that fights civil liberty 
violations.

The lawsuit concerns an Illinois 1971 law that makes marijuana legal for 
medical and research purposes.

Sarah Delong, a member of the campus chapter of NORML, said marijuana is 
supposed to be approved and administrated by the Illinois Department of 
Human Services in Chicago, but they have been negligent and not doing their 
job.

"In actuality, medical marijuana is legal in Illinois. It's just not 
enforced," Delong said. "Federally, marijuana is illegal. If a doctor 
prescribes it, federal law overrides the state law."

Thomas Greene, spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Human Services, 
said the department allows the use of medical marijuana only in special 
requested cases.

The medical marijuana law in Illinois only allows for marijuana to be used 
in a case where a research project is approved by the state human services 
department, Greene said. The law doesn't allow for individual use of 
medical marijuana based on individual needs.

"Nobody has ever requested the department to grant that permission," Greene 
said. "That's why there's never really been anything done to grant requests 
for medical marijuana."

While Berkner gave many facts and statistics at Wednesday's meeting, Jamie 
brought a more personal perspective. He mentioned his participation in 
medical marijuana studies and how marijuana has helped with the pain from 
the effects of AIDS and harsh AIDS drugs.

"I don't think the government should play doctor," he said. "If they were 
my doctors, I'd be dead. Plain and simple."

Some students left with a new perspective and more knowledge on the subject.

"Before coming here, I thought good things of it,"said Genevieve Stalla, a 
junior in LAS. "This event increased my awareness and my approval of it."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jackl