A senator has raised concerns that if voters in November approve a bill that would legalize medical marijuana there would be no chance of amending the law.

Whether or not that vote will happen is uncertain. The Guam Election Commission won't put the question on the ballot, saying the process of "legislative submission" is not valid.

Lawmakers have asked the Supreme Court of Guam to decide the issue.

Sen. Dennis Rodriguez, D-Dededo, the only senator that voted against the measure, said if voters approve medical marijuana, the provisions of the new law will be locked in for two years.

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Judy and John Terlaje are running out of options for their son who has epilepsy.

"Through the years, we've probably spent $10,000 in medical bills," Judy Terlaje said. "That's how often he was at the ER."

The couple spoke during the University of Guam Medical Marijuana Forum yesterday at the Jesus and Eugenia Leon Guerrero School of Business and Public Adminstration building.

Students gasped to hear of the years of hospital visits, the financial cost and the impact 11 medications had on 8-year-old Dylan Terlaje since he was 3 months old.

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The Legislature is moving forward in seeking a declaratory judgment from the Supreme Court of Guam to determine if the question of legalizing medicinal marijuana will be on the November General Election ballot.

The Legislature has contracted attorney Julian Aguon to seek the judgment on its behalf, Sen. Tina Muna Barnes said.

The contract was signed on Thursday, she said.

Barnes, D-Mangilao, is the author of the bill that would have placed the question of allowing medical marijuana on the ballot in November.

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Senators passed the bill that would put the question of legalizing medicinal marijuana to voters.

In session today, senators passed Bill 215 by a vote of 14 to 1.

The road to legalizing the drug is far from over, however. The bill still needs the governor's signature.

If it becomes law, then the Legislature has 45 days to provide arguments for and against legalized marijuana, to be included in an informational pamphlet that will need to be distributed to all voters, according to Guam Election Commission Executive Director Maria Pangelinan.

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In his July 25 op-ed, Sir Richard Branson cites Russia as an example of repressive law enforcement leading to the spread of HIV. He need look no further than the United States. Centers for Disease Control researchers' estimate that 57 percent of AIDS cases among women and 36 percent of overall AIDS cases in the U.S. are linked to injection drug use or sex with partners who inject drugs.

This preventable public health crisis is a direct result of zero-tolerance laws that restrict access to clean syringes. While the rest of the world increasingly favors harm reduction strategies to reduce the harm caused by both drug abuse and enforcement, the U.S. maintains a hard line.

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In a striking report this month, the Global Commission on Drug Policy showed that the continued criminalization of drug use drives the spread of HIV. People have long known that drug use is linked to disease, but this is the first clear analysis of how our enforcement of drug laws condemns thousands to AIDS, hepatitis C and other life-threatening ailments.

This happens because repressive law enforcement activities drive drug users to the fringes of society, away from health services, and into environments and practices that elevate the risk of HIV transmission. Dirty, shared needles become commonplace when users must hide and depend on criminal networks, and HIV rates soar.

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Hello armchair CSIs. For this "Guam Forensic Forum," I want to talk about a little drug abuse survey I conducted recently as part of my class on drugs and crime.

While surveying my small pool of students may not be an entirely valid method of data collection, it is nonetheless an interesting review of the opinions of my criminal justice students. So let me summarize their collective attitudes which I found interesting and informative:

Nearly everyone agreed that drug abuse is a serious problem.

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University of Guam students took on a hotly debated public policy issue last night at a forum that discussed legalizing medical marijuana.

"Higher Education -- Going Green in Medicine," sponsored by the University of Guam Masters of Public Administration program, presented a community discussion on medical marijuana at the Guam Legislature. The discussion included public health experts, including Dr. Chris Dombrowski, who spoke about some of the drug's benefits, Mark Cain, a registered nurse and former public safety officer, Dr. Arnold Wax and Dr. Thomas Shieh, who participated via Skype from Hawaii, as well as Sen. Rory Respicio.

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Sen. Rory Respicio wrote a letter yesterday to Dr. James Hastings, director of the Veterans Administration's Pacific Islands Health Care System, regarding a July directive from the VA on the participation of veterans who are VA beneficiaries in state medical marijuana programs.

Respicio said the directive "indicates that veterans cannot be disqualified as VA beneficiaries based on their participation in state medical marijuana programs."

Respicio, who is seeking re-election, has sponsored legislation that proposes to allow the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

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A bill seeking to regulate the use of marijuana for medicinal use received opposition from some members of the medical community yesterday in a public hearing at the Legislature.

Doctors opposed "The Compassionate Health Care Act of 2010," or Bill 423, saying the risk of regulating marijuana use would be greater than the benefits.

Drs. Joel Rubio and Annette M. David, from Health Partners LLC, sent a letter to lawmakers informing them of research that notes while there may be justifiable grounds for using marijuana for terminal illnesses and end-of-life care, the medical use of marijuana cannot be freed from the fact that it is addictively used by many for recreation.

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The Guam Legislature will hold a public hearing 5 p.m. today on a bill that would legalize the medicinal use of marijuana, if enacted into law.

Bill 423, known as the "The Compassionate Health Care Act of 2010," was introduced by Sen. Rory Respicio with the intent to help people who are suffering from debilitating, chronic and painful illnesses and conditions. According to the bill, licensed physicians authorized to recommend and prescribe medicinal marijuana to patients would have patients certified as having a debilitating medical condition register with the Department of Public Health and Social Services.

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The board of directors and members of The Employers Council are opposing a bill that would regulate the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Andrew P. Andrus, executive director of The Employers Council, said the council opposes "The Compassionate Health Care Act of 2010," or Bill 423, because employers are "desperately" trying to maintain safe, healthy working environments.

"Marijuana is much more readily accessible," Andrus said. He was the only person to testify about the bill at a public hearing at the Legislature yesterday. "We just don"t need another route to mind-altering drugs in the workplace or society in general."

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I am a disabled Vietnam War veteran. I saw your notice about the Sunday Forum on medical marijuana and I want to tell you about my experience.

I have been suffering for years from many illnesses, including PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), chronic headaches, chronic body pains, severe arthritis, and hand and leg cramps that affect my ability to drive. I have trouble sleeping and I wake up three or four times a night.

Doctors gave me prescriptions for more than a dozen medicines that I have to take several times a day, and they are all affecting my daily functions. Sometimes the medicine is worse than my sickness -- the medicine that is supposed to help me hurts me instead. Sometimes just so I can make it through the day, I can only take the medications at bedtime. When I am taking my medicine, it really affects my family relations.

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Sen. Rory Respicio has introduced legislation that would allow physicians to certify the use of medicinal marijuana to patients with debilitating conditions. The marijuana would be dispensed from compassionate care centers, which would be registered with and regulated by the Department of Public Health and Social Services.

The aim of Bill 423 -- which is modeled on the laws of several states - -- is to provide some relief to patients who will benefit from the effects of marijuana, such as those with Alzheimer's Disease, HIV/AIDs, cancer, Chrohn's Disease, epilepsy, glaucoma and multiple schlerosis, among other diseases and disorders.

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Guam cannot "legalize" cannabis/marijuana for any purpose. Federal laws identify it as a controlled substance, so only they can "legalize" its use. Guam should pass a law permitting the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes and under strict conditions, as proposed in my Bill 423.

A U.S. jurisdiction desiring to allow for medicinal cannabis must follow the Ninth Circuit Court ruling, which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld: doctors can legally recommend, but not dispense, cannabis to patients. To stay within the boundaries of law, doctors that recommend cannabis must certify that patients have been diagnosed with a debilitating condition or disease, and cannabis can help them.

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Sen. Rory Respicio yesterday revised and reintroduced his bill that would allow for the medicinal use of marijuana on Guam.

Among the changes to "The Compassionate Health Care Act of 2010," which is now Bill 423, specific language was added to state that doctors cannot write prescriptions. Instead, they can only recommend the drug and certify that it has been recommended.

"This falls directly in line with decisions by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court," Respicio said. "This issue was pointed out by a legislative analyst from the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C., who reviewed the bill."

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Chris Halligan, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder that causes pain around his knees and joints, said he's happy a measure has finally been introduced to allow for the medicinal use of marijuana.

But Dr. Jan Bollinger, an orthopedic surgeon who would treat people with Halligan's condition, said he's not convinced medical marijuana is the answer for the chronic pain that afflicts many people with debilitating conditions.

The debate over the legalization of medical marijuana has been sparked by Sen. Rory Respicio's introduction of Bill 420 on Tuesday.

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A public hearing will be held Wednesday on proposed legislation that could pull two potent but legal substances from local stores, following a prohibition trend that is sweeping legislatures nationwide.

If passed, Bill 396 would outlaw salvia divinorum and the chemicals that create "Spice" both which can be bought in Tumon stores. At least three adult entertainment stores had salvia for sale on Saturday and one had previously sold "spice" but was sold out.

Store owners declined to be interviewed about either substances.

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There were no holds barred at the 13th annual "Too Cool to do Drugs" conference hosted by Sanctuary Inc. yesterday.

The participants -- ages 12 to 18 -- spoke frankly about suicide, drug abuse, peer pressure and even shared their own encounters, as many of them said they have been in situations where they have had to turn down drugs.

Sanctuary Inc. has hosted such a conference every Labor Day weekend as a proactive step toward educating teens and parents on how to prevent and reduce drug and alcohol abuse. Yesterday's conference was at the Westin Guam Resort.

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"Dear Dr. Shieh" is the result of a partnership between the Pacific Daily News and Dr. Thomas Shieh, an obstetrician and a longtime proponent of health and education programs for Guam's youths. If you have a question you would like answered, e-mail: life@guampdn.com

Dear Dr. Shieh,

I am pregnant and throwing up all the time. My girl friend told me to smoke marijuana because it can get rid of my nausea. Is marijuana safe during pregnancy? - Anita

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