Source: Oregonian, The Contact: http://www.oregonlive.com/ Pubdate: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 Author: Patrick O'Neill of The Oregonian staff DOCTORS KEEP MUM ON MARIJUANA * The OMA hands pot initiative backers a victory by staying neutral but opposes a measure that bans abortions after the 12th week GLENEDEN BEACH -- Oregon's largest organization of physicians handed proponents of medical marijuana a victory on Sunday, voting to remain neutral in an impending ballot measure campaign to legalize marijuana for therapeutic purposes. The group also decided to oppose a proposed ballot measure that would ban abortions after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. The governing body of the Oregon Medical Association, which represents 5,800 of the state's 8,300 physicians, changed crucial wording in a proposed resolution under which the association would have opposed legalizing smoked, medical marijuana. Under the original resolution, the association would "oppose any measure that would decriminalize marijuana, including the initiative petition currently being advanced for the medical use of this substance ... ." But members voted to change the wording. Now, instead of opposing the medical marijuana initiative, the association will "not support" the measure. On Saturday, Dr. Charles E. Hofmann of Baker City, the state association's past president, urged it to adopt an American Medical Association report recommending a ban on medical use of smoked marijuana until experiments have proven its usefulness. And on Sunday, Hofmann warned the group that the new wording would substantially weaken the original intent of the resolution. "When we're asked what the OMA's position is on medical marijuana, we'll have to say we're neutral," he said. " 'Not support' means 'neutral.' Be clear on that." Dr. Richard Bayer, a Portland internist and a chief petitioner for the marijuana initiative, said the association's action was a "win for the citizens of Oregon ... and for the OMA, because the OMA made a wise and compassionate decision." Bayer said that members of the association's House of Delegates, its governing body, "became educated on the specific issues (of medical marijuana) and chose compassion." "People realize that if they had a dying and suffering patient in the exam room that that patient should not be subject to criminal sanctions for trying to improve his life," he said. Bayer said he has seen plenty of evidence that smoking marijuana relieves nausea caused by chemotherapy and some symptoms of pain, and it is effective in fighting weight loss in AIDS patients. Although a prescription drug containing an active ingredient of marijuana is available, Bayer said it sometimes isn't as effective as smoked marijuana. The marijuana resolution also endorses recommendations in an American Medical Association report on medical marijuana. That 29-page report largely calls into question the medical value of smoked marijuana. It urges that the National Institutes of Health sponsor clinical research into uses for the drug. James Kronenberg, associate executive director of the state association, said after the vote that its neutrality could affect the outcome of the election. Kronenberg said the vote of neutrality is reminiscent of the ballot measure campaign about physician-assisted suicide in 1994. The association had taken a similarly neutral stance on that issue. "Both proponents and opponents say the OMA's neutrality was a large part of the measure's passage," he said. The American Medical Association, of which the state association is an affiliate, opposed physician-assisted suicide and legalization of medical marijuana. The House of Delegates also approved a resolution opposing a proposed ballot measure that would ban abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. Physicians regarded the measure as an intrusion into the relationship between them and their patients. They also worried about sections of the proposed measure that they think would make it possible for organizations and individuals to sue doctors for performing abortions. Dr. Zena I.P. Monji, a Eugene obstetrician-gynecologist, testified on Saturday that the proposed abortion ban would make it virtually impossible to terminate pregnancies in cases where tests indicated birth defects such as Down syndrome. Such tests cannot be performed until after 12 weeks of pregnancy, she said. The resolution is in keeping with the association's established policy, which is to protect access to abortion.