Pubdate: Wed, 16 Feb 2005
Source: Bristol Press (CT)
Copyright: 2005, The Bristol Press
Contact:  http://www.bristolpress.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/569
Author: Gregory B. Hladky, Journal Register News Service
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

CASE MADE AGAIN FOR PRESCRIPTION POT

HARTFORD -- The doctor-widow of a cancer victim, the head of Hartford
Hospital's cancer center and a patient suffering from paralysis and
spasms all called on Connecticut lawmakers Tuesday to legalize medical
marijuana. "At a time when we were most vulnerable, I had to choose
between my livelihood and the welfare of my husband," Dr. Nancy
Sheehan of the University of Connecticut said about her efforts to buy
marijuana for her cancer-victim husband.

Sheehan said that, until he died in 2002, marijuana helped her husband
Jim deal much more easily with the pain, loss of appetite and energy
brought on by his colon cancer. "His quality of life was dramatically
improved," she recalled.

Dr. Andrew Salner, director of Hartford Hospital's Helen and Harry
Gray Cancer Center also spoke in support of allowing doctors to
prescribe medical marijuana. He said that "a select group of patients
clearly are helped by marijuana during their cancer
experience."

And Mark Braunstein, who was paralyzed below the waist by a severe
accident in 1990, described how marijuana has helped ease the spasms
and pain that have accompanied his injury.

Although a medical marijuana bill won state House approval last year,
its opponents managed to kill it through the General Assembly
committee process before it ever reached the Senate for a final vote.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers supporting the measure say they
believe this will be the year that Connecticut joins the 11 other
states that have approved medical marijuana laws to help victims of
cancer, glaucoma and other diseases.

The new bill would allow a doctor to prescribe marijuana and allow a
patient to grow up to five marijuana plants for medical use without
fear of arrest or prosecution.

But critics such as state Sen. George L. 'Doc' Gunther, R-Stratford,
said he doesn't think the bill will survive a Senate vote. "I doubt
it," said Gunther, the longest-serving member of the General Assembly.

"I don't think there is any justification for it," Gunther said.
"Oncologists, if they're honest, will tell you that we don't need it,
that we have much better, more effective medications available."

Gunther also said he and other critics fear that allowing patients to
grow marijuana for personal medical use will eventually result in
abuses. "It's going to find its way into the illegal market," Gunther
warned.

The bill's co-sponsors, state Reps. Penny Bacchiochi, R-Somers, and
Melissa Olson, D-Norwich, rejected Gunther's arguments.

"More than 300 Connecticut doctors have signed on in writing that they
support this bill," said Bacchiochi.

"Illegal use of marijuana is going to go on whether we pass this bill
or not," Olson said.

State Sen. Toni N. Harp, D-New Haven, is another supporter of the bill
who believes that it may stand a better chance of passage in the
General Assembly this year.

"I think the fact that it passed the House last year will give it more
momentum," Harp said. "There's a lot more energy around the issue this
year than in the past."

Harp said that the Senate's reluctance to take up the medical
marijuana bill last year appeared to be related to the fact that 2004
was a legislative election year. She said legislative leaders may have
worried that the issue could cause problems for some Democrats involve
in close reelection races. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake