Pubdate: Wed, 02 Apr 2003
Source: Boston Weekly Dig (MA)
Copyright: 2003 Boston Weekly Dig
Contact:  http://www.weeklydig.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1515
Author: Matthew Dolimpio

MEDICAL MARIJUANA GETS ATTENTION ON BEACON HILL

While the decriminalization of marijuana rests on the backburner at the 
State House, the legalization of medical marijuana recently got attention 
at a March 31 Joint Health Committee meeting.

Senate Bill 676 would allow the Department of Health to use medical 
marijuana on an experimental basis to treat the symptoms of certain severe 
conditions such as HIV/AIDS, cancer and chronic pain.

The committee heard a variety of speakers, all of whom spoke in favor of 
legalizing medical marijuana, all of whom admitted to using the drug 
illegally as a part of their treatment.

While not a single senator or representative chose to question any of the 
speakers, each proponent provided the legislators with a variety of 
testimony and packets of information defending their cause.

Dr. Laurence McKinney of Harvard University noted the low toxicity of 
marijuana, citing Judge Francis L. Young's observation in 1986 that, 
"marijuana has less toxicity than eight raw potatoes." Dr. McKinney 
concluded by saying, "We don't have to make history, but we should not 
repeat history."

Marcy Duda, who received brain surgery after suffering from aneurisms, 
followed Dr. McKinney. She noted in an emotional and passionate address how 
effective marijuana has been in treating her post-surgical ailments, such 
as severe migraines, intense nausea and dramatic weight loss. She stated 
that while Marinol, a legal alternative to medical marijuana that contains 
the active component THC suspended in sesame oil, was prescribed to her and 
did work intermittently, she often regurgitated it before it took effect.

Ms. Duda also noted that while painkillers often helped the pain, strong 
opiate derivates that worked most effectively, such as Percocet, often made 
her unable to care for her children and made her much less functional. She 
explained to the committee, "Marinol now costs me over $2,000 for a month's 
supply [of 240 pills], which insurance does not pay for," continuing, 
"marijuana allows me the ability to function normally, which Percocet does 
not."

Another user who supports medical marijuana was Scott A. Mortimer, who has 
used the drug regularly since 1995 to treat chronic back pain caused by a 
fusion of his lower vertebrae.

He stated, "I began using marijuana only after exhausting all other 
options," and noting, "I vaporize it [a method that heats marijuana below 
the point of combustion but hot enough to activate the THC], and avoid all 
the harmful byproducts that come from burning it." Mr. Mortimer explained 
that anti-inflammatory medications "were more effective than marijuana, but 
had too many unwanted side effects," which included the deterioration of 
his stomach lining to the point of massive internal bleeding, an ordeal 
which almost killed him.

Dr. James T. D'Olimpio, a board certified clinical oncologist and 
palliative care specialist at New York University/North Shore Hospital and 
a national expert on pain management, explains the need for more research 
on the subject.

He stated, "There is a lot of anecdotal information but not enough clinical 
studies," continuing, "we definitely need to study it further." Dr. 
D'Olimpio clarified that "most of my patients benefit from other treatments 
that I use, but we need to be able to individualize treatment in cases 
where marijuana can be looked at when all other options have been exhausted."

Attorney Steven Epstein, co-founder and treasurer of the Massachusetts 
Cannabis Reform Coalition (MassCANN), emphasized the importance of 
legalization but noted, "While [the bill] will make things better, we are 
still not even at the legalization [of medical marijuana] stage." Mr. 
Epstein also stated, "there should be more clinical research, but it can be 
researched after [experimental use] is legalized.

It's very hard to do a blind study with marijuana, and treatment needs to 
be geared to the individual."

While medical marijuana has been legalized in eight other states - 
California, Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Nevada and Oregon - 
the federal Drug Enforcement Administration maintains that marijuana for 
any use, no matter what the state law, is still illegal under federal law, 
and the DEA certainly has no problem enforcing these laws. In addition to 
its various ad campaigns, school information sessions and pages of 
information on its Web site warning against the consequences of drug use, 
the DEA has recently made busts in Oakland, CA, of medical marijuana 
proprietors that operate legally under state law.

The DEA states on its Web site, "Scientific study shows that marijuana 
damages the immune system causing further peril to already weakened immune 
systems," but does not site this specific study nor any other of the "over 
10,000" studies that it claims prove marijuana is a dangerous drug. The DEA 
also apparently misunderstands the use of marijuana as a symptomatic drug 
and not a cure. The DEA also discounts prior and current reports in the 
journal Supportive Care and Cancer by Dr. Declan Weaver, a medical 
oncologist, which shows that marijuana may actually stimulate immune 
response by binding to newly discovered receptors known as CB1 and CB2. The 
DEA also fails to account for the fact that many other symptomatic 
medications used to treat severe, chronic pain, such as morphine or 
OxyContin, have much more devastating effects on the body than marijuana 
but are still commonly used.

Even in the eight states where it is legal to prescribe marijuana under 
state law, most situations still violate federal law. In order to coincide 
with current federal medical marijuana regulations, a state would need to 
acquire permission from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the only 
legal conduit for marijuana in the United States. Currently, NIDA provides 
research marijuana, grown under contract at the University of Mississippi, 
to two contracts at the Research Triangle Institute as well as to seven 
patients on "compassionate use" programs.

This program began in 1978 after the Department of Health and Human 
Services settled a lawsuit but was terminated in 1992 by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, except for the remaining seven that were still 
alive.

Currently, medical marijuana is illegal in Massachusetts, under state law 
as well as federal, except for an experimental medical marijuana program 
that necessitates the federal government supplying marijuana.

Since the feds refuse to supply medical marijuana, the program has never 
been truly implemented. Legislation is pending in several other states, 
most notably Maryland, where medical marijuana legislation recently passed 
both the House and Senate and is expected to be signed into law by Gov. 
Ehrlich. Legislation is also pending in Massachusetts' neighbor 
Connecticut, where legislation is expected to pass. While federal 
legislation has recently been proposed, as it was in 1997 by Rep. Barney 
Frank (D-Newton), Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, no 
legislation has ever passed in DC.

While testimonies were heard on Beacon Hill, many people who support the 
bill do not think the bill will pass, and some senators, such as Bruce 
Tarr, have stated openly that they will vote against the bill in committee 
or on the floor, despite the scientific and personal evidence and the 
overwhelming support for legalization at the polls last November.
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