Source: CNN - Inside Politics Pubdate: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 Feedback: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/ Forum: http://www.cnn.com/discussion/ Website: http://www.cnn.com/ REPORT COMMISSIONED BY THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION INDICATES SMOKING MARIJUANA HAS MEDICAL BENEFITS FOR CANCER AND AIDS PATIENTS Aired March 17, 1999 - 5:00 p.m. ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: The medical marijuana issue may heat up again. Will a new scientific study change the politics of pot? Also ahead... (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What does a presidential candidate do on St. Patrick's Day. Politic, of course, and wear green. (END VIDEO CLIP) BERNARD SHAW, CNN ANCHOR: Our Bruce Morton on the holiday stomping in New Hampshire. WOODRUFF: And we'll ask New York Governor George Pataki if he's heading to New Hampshire with the White House on his mind. ANNOUNCER: From Washington this is INSIDE POLITICS with Judy Woodruff and Bernard Shaw. SHAW: Thanks for joining us. We begin with new fuel for the political debate over legalizing marijuana for medical use. A scientific report commissioned by the Clinton administration shows the active ingredients in marijuana can help ease the pain and nausea of some cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and some people with AIDS. Advocates of medical marijuana believe the findings can only help their cause. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHUCK THOMAS, MARIJUANA POLICY PROJECT: We are very pleased with this Institute of Medicine report. This report clearly shows that there is scientific evidence verifying that marijuana has bona fide therapeutic effects for some patients. (END VIDEO CLIP) SHAW: The question of legalizing marijuana for medical use will appear on the ballot in Maine in November. And medical marijuana advocates are pushing for similar measures in Florida and Michigan in 2000. Since 1996, the legalization of marijuana for medical use has been approved by voters in seven states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington State -- though, in a few of those states the measures are not yet law. Some voters may have been swayed by the dramatic ad campaigns launched by medical marijuana advocates, including this spot that ran in Oregon last year. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) STORM RAY: I have a debilitating disease; the pain is constant. The only medicine that can relieve the pain is marijuana, but it's illegal. That's why I've become the chief petitioner for Measure 67. If it passes, dying and suffering patients can register with the state and use small amounts of marijuana. Non-medical use remains illegal. Please join me and vote yes on 67. God forbid, one day you may need it too. (END VIDEO CLIP) SHAW: Medical marijuana advocates say further state ballot measures may not be necessary, if the federal government takes the new report seriously, and if it takes action. Well for White House reaction to this study and more on the politics surrounding it we go now to John King at the White House -- John. JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bernie, the administration quickly promised to study the report, which, of course, it commissioned. But don't look for the White House anytime soon to embrace the medical use of marijuana. First, the president's drug czar, General Barry McCaffrey, then the White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart made clear that while this new report says marijuana may have some medical applications they drew a quick distinction, saying perhaps the ingredients in marijuana might have some valid medical uses, but that the report was quick to note that smoking is a health hazard. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOE LOCKHART, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: What we found out is that there may be some chemical compounds in marijuana that are useful in pain relief or anti-nausea, but that smoking marijuana is a crude delivery system and is not an effective delivery system. So I think what this calls for, as he said, is further research and further research that's like any other research we do in developing drugs through the FDA process to try to find an effective way to take advantage of the chemical compounds that can be used to fight nausea or pain. (END VIDEO CLIP) KING: The White House press secretary was reminded that voters in seven states have endorsed the medical use of marijuana and of the president's frequent comments that the people in Washington, the politicians in Washington should respect the will of the American people. But Mr. Lockhart said there are some cases when democracy must take a backseat to science. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LOCKHART: I think we obviously -- and as you've often pointed out -- respect the will of the people. But I think this is a scientific issue. I'd hate to see there be a referendum on the latest technology in air traffic control. And I'd hate to see there be a referendum on FDA review process. These are complicated scientific issues and they ought to be debated on a scientific basis. (END VIDEO CLIP) KING: The U.S. Congress also firmly on record against the medical use of marijuana. The House voted 310 to 93 last year on a resolution that declared marijuana an addictive drug and made very clear the house opposes legalizing it even for medicinal purposes -- Bernie. SHAW: John, I have to ask you, was the president and other White House officials -- were they blindsided by this report, especially given the president's candidate remark, "I didn't inhale." KING: Well, certainly that remark from 1992 during the New York primary, in which the president said he had once tried marijuana in college but didn't inhale, that always has shadowed this president. There is some irony that the administration we know is on record firmly opposing legalizing marijuana. It commissioned this study, and the study suggests there may be some legal uses for it. We're also told the president had planned to make a joke about this Saturday night in the speech he will deliver at big Washington annual event, the Gridiron dinner, about, well, I might go on the record and tell you that I did inhale. That joke has been scrapped however because reporters like me know about it and the White House likes to keep the president's jokes secret. SHAW: John King at the White House. Judy. WOODRUFF: Ah, the things that determine the fate of history. [The rest of the show moved on to other topics] - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake