AMA REJECTS ENDORSEMENT OF MARIJUANA

CHICAGO -- A proposal to endorse the limited use of medical marijuana
for seriously ill patients was rejected at the American Medical
Association's annual meeting.

A committee voted against the proposal Monday and the AMA House of
Delegates voted Tuesday for a revised policy that does not support
medical marijuana use.

Under the new policy, adopted without debate, the AMA endorses "the
free and unfettered exchange of information on treatment
alternatives."

The previous policy simply endorsed additional research into its
effectiveness and safety of marijuana for medical use.

The proposal to support some medical use of marijuana was put forth
by the AMA's Council on Scientific Affairs. "This report is about the
relief of suffering; it's not about getting high," Dr. Melvin
Sterling, a member of the council from Orange, Calif., told a
committee Monday.

But others testified they were concerned that AMA endorsement could
lead to more widespread medical use of marijuana than intended by the
Council on Scientific Affairs.