STILL FEDERAL CRIME: MARIJUANA USE FORMS IN MAIL

Applicants Can Grow Seven Plants With Doctor's OK

CARSON CITY -- About two dozen Nevadans who want the state's blessing to use
marijuana for medical purposes should be receiving their applications in the
mail any day.

Cecile Crofoot, manager of the medical marijuana program in the state
Department of Agriculture, sent out the first 24 forms Monday.

Next Monday, Nevada becomes the ninth state to enact a medical marijuana
law.

Applicants can grow as many as seven marijuana plants if they meet state
requirements.

Patients suffering from AIDS, cancer, glaucoma and other illnesses can use
marijuana as long as they have the written permission of their doctors.

Crofoot said she has received more than 100 additional inquiries from people
interested in the medical marijuana program.

As many as 200 people may be accepted into the program in its first year,
Crofoot said.

Once they receive applications, prospective participants must be
fingerprinted to determine if they have been convicted of selling a
controlled substance. Such a conviction disqualifies them from the program.

Crofoot will send information back to patients when they have been accepted
into the program. They will be given addresses of Department of Motor
Vehicles offices where they can secure for $9 a license stating that they
are medical marijuana users.

She estimated that it will be several weeks before the first medical
marijuana users are approved.

In the November election, 65 percent of the voters approved Question 9, the
constitutional amendment that allowed Nevadans to use medical marijuana.

Lawmakers in the last legislative session approved a bill by Assemblywoman
Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, to set up the medical marijuana program.
She based the Nevada program on one in Oregon that has had few problems.

"This is the voters' wishes," Giunchigliani said. "I commend the Department
of Agriculture for well-reasoned regulations."

Use of marijuana remains a federal crime. But there has been no federal
prosecution in states where individuals grow their own marijuana

Because marijuana use remains a federal crime, Crofoot will not give
approved patients any information on how to grow marijuana or where to find
seeds.

"We cannot advise them of anything," she said. "That would be aiding and
abetting. They will have to find out by word of mouth."

Web sites advise people how to acquire seeds. Magazines also are readily
available on bookstands that offer people assistance in growing marijuana.

At hearings, several potential users told Crofoot they wanted to voluntarily
give their names to other users and create focus groups to discuss mutual
problems.

Crofoot said that was not possible because the law makes the identity of
users confidential.

Giunchigliani supports the idea, however, and may pursue legislation to
allow users to contact each other.

Crofoot said people who want to use medical marijuana can call 775-684-5333
for applications.