MEDICAL MARIJUANA MAY SOON BE REALITY

Support is growing at the Capitol for a measure to allow its use in
seriously ill patients.

A proposal that once inspired fears and jokes about drug abuse --
legalizing the use of marijuana for medical reasons -- stands a good
chance of passage in the Minnesota Legislature this year.

Political support for that controversial step is coming from unlikely
places. Advocates for a bill to allow seriously ill patients to use
marijuana with their doctors' recommendation say that as many as half
of the 49 Republicans in the House would support the measure in a floor vote.

Former House Speaker Steve Sviggum, a Republican, is co-author of the
medical marijuana bill and says he became a convert to the cause
partly after being visited by two people who told him about how the
drug would have benefited loved ones dying from cancer. And despite
the concerns of social conservatives, other Republicans say they have
come to view legalizing marijuana to help the sick as a
quintessential conservative issue -- keeping government out of the
patient-doctor relationship.

"Ten years ago it would have had no chance," Sviggum said. "Two years
ago I probably would have been in opposition. This is a very
emotional issue, but hopefully facts and information will come to the
forefront."

Social conservative groups and law enforcement officials remain
strongly opposed to the measure. But the emerging bipartisan support
for it suggests the issue is traveling a well-worn path toward
gradual acceptance blazed by other social causes -- sometimes toward
liberalization, sometimes toward tougher restrictions.

Drunken driving, for decades considered a minor offense, now carries
stiff penalties. Gambling, long frowned upon as a vice, now occupies
a prominent and accepted place in society. Cigarette smoking, once
widespread and glamorous, has been relegated to a furtive street-corner habit.

Medical use of marijuana has been approved in 11 states, despite
federal efforts to pressure voters and legislators in those places to
abandon the policies and conform to federal anti-drug laws.

Sviggum said he called law enforcement officials in three of the
states where medical use of the drug is allowed and did additional
research that has convinced him the new laws are working well.
Politically, he also concedes he is impressed by poll results on the issue.

A 2005 Zogby poll, for example, showed that Minnesotans favored the
use of medical marijuana by a 4 to 1 ratio. Meanwhile, a national
AARP poll in 2005 showed that seniors favored the idea by a 2 to 1 ratio.

'Not a Moral Issue'

Champlin resident Tom Fonio, 55, who suffers from multiple sclerosis,
says he is too afraid now to try marijuana to relieve the muscle
spasms and burning sensation caused by the disease. He is prescribed
a medication called Marinol but finds its benefits fade by the end of the day.

Shannon Pakonen, 41, of Brooklyn Park, who has Tourette's syndrome,
said he obtains marijuana from friends and occasionally smokes it to
relieve the ticks and spasms that result from the neurological disorder.

Both men support legalizing medical marijuana and see the political
wind shifting.

"As time goes on, politics have changed. ... Partisan politics really
take a back seat to the human issue. It is not a moral issue," Fonio said.

Pakonen, who said he would prefer marijuana over prescribed
medications he takes now that leave him feeling lethargic and loopy,
added: "The pot-head mentality, that's an older, antiquated
generation that feels that way. The younger generation is starting to
come into the fold. So many states are accepting it. ... I don't
really have people who are down on me. I'm not a greasy grubby,
go-nowhere person."

Conservatives Divided

Despite the apparent legislative support, Gov. Tim Pawlenty remains
adamantly opposed to the bill. He supports law enforcement
contentions that lessening restrictions on any use of marijuana sends
the wrong message, particularly to youngsters, according to his
spokesman, Brian McClung.

Others, such as Eden Prairie Republican Sen. David Hann, question the
science behind the medical claims for marijuana and worry about
whether dosages can be effectively regulated.

During a Senate committee hearing, where the medical marijuana
measure passed on a bipartisan voice vote, Dakota County Attorney
James Backstrom testified against the bill, saying it would
facilitate use of the drug by others, increase the potential for
impaired driving and give the impression that marijuana is harmless.

The measure is opposed by the state's County Attorneys Association,
the Sheriffs' Association, and the Chiefs of Police Association.

"Marijuana is a dangerous and addictive drug that poses significant
health consequences. It has no proven medical value," Backstrom said.

The conservative Minnesota Family Council also opposes the bill,
saying it could open the floodgates for relaxing other drug laws and
lead to legalization of marijuana.

The group also has complained about the broad definitions of chronic
illnesses that would be covered under the bill, claiming it could
potentially authorize marijuana use for minor ailments such as tennis
elbow or a sore knee.

The Family Council has pressed Andover Republican Chris DeLaForest to
renounce the bill and take his name off as a co-author. He has refused.

"There's still a few of us left in the Republican Party who try to
honor the concept of individual liberties as opposed to governmental
interference. We've sort of been run over the past few years by
members of the Christian wing of our base," DeLaForest said.

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COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA

. Would the law legalize marijuana?

No. It would allow patients to use marijuana with doctor approval
(and parental approval for minors). They could not use the drug in
public places or schools, or drive while under the influence. They
would have to be suffering from "a debilitating medical condition"
such as an illness that causes pain, seizures or nausea. An HIV-AIDS
patient whose condition has worsened, for example, could qualify to
use marijuana. But opponents contend the definitions are too open-ended.

. Doesn't the proposal conflict with federal drug laws?

Federal law prohibits the sale, use and cultivation of marijuana. But
enforcement is generally left up to local agencies. In the 11 states
where similar laws are in effect, prosecutors have not generally
pursued cases in which marijuana is being sold for medical use. Under
the proposed law, any state or local law enforcement officials who
cooperate with a federal agent to arrest or prosecute a qualified
patient could have their employment suspended or terminated.

. Where would patients get the marijuana?

Patients could grow their own marijuana or have it provided by "a
registered organization," which would be a nonprofit registered with
the state. Patients or their caregivers could possess up to 12
marijuana plants and 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana.