'COMPASSIONATE USE' OF MARIJUANA ON AGENDA AT AMA ANNUAL MEETING

CHICAGO (AP) -- One month after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against
the medical use of marijuana, the American Medical Association is
being urged to endorse the illegal drug as last-resort pain relief
for seriously ill patients.

At its policy-setting annual meeting starting here Sunday, the AMA
also is being asked to endorse a moratorium on executions nationwide,
although it rejected a similar proposal last year. The measures are
among more than 250 reports, resolutions and proposals conference
delegates are asking the nation's largest group of doctors to approve.

Whether the historically cautious group will take a more activist
role at its five-day meeting remains to be seen as the group
struggles for effectiveness amid a worrisome slide in membership. The
challenge is to appeal to physicians with divergent political views
while at the same time tackling issues relevant to patients.

''They don't want to take positions that they're concerned the public
would consider not necessarily appropriate for physicians to take,''
said Dr. Jimmy Hara, a sometimes AMA member and co-president of the
Los Angeles chapter of the activist group Physicians for Social
Responsibility.

Desperately seeking to attract new members, the AMA is more likely
than ever to stick to middle ground, Hara said.

The marijuana question is an example. The Supreme Court's May 14
ruling that it's illegal to sell or possess marijuana for medical use
appears to be having little effect in the eight states with medical
marijuana laws, and some have even moved to expand marijuana laws
despite the ruling.

The AMA's current policy opposes use of medical marijuana but says
there should be more research on the issue. But a report by an AMA
council says the group should support the ''compassionate use'' of
marijuana while also urging further research.