DENVER -- Despite threats of federal prosecution, Coloradans suffering
from illnesses such as cancer are paying $140 apiece to sign up on a new
state registry of licensed medical marijuana users.

The registry, which took effect Friday, was created by a law approved by
voters in November that allows license holders to legally grow or
possess marijuana. Still, Attorney General Ken Salazar has urged federal
authorities to prosecute anybody who sells, distributes or grows
marijuana, even if they qualify under the state program.

By midday Friday, the Colorado Medical Marijuana Registry had received
eight applications and approved one. Officials expect about 800 people
to sign up for the program this year.

Brooks Kelly, a 39-year-old scientist, was the first approved for the
registry.

"When you're dying of a terrible disease, the political threats pale by
comparison," Kelly said. "I suffer from tumors that cause me an
incredible amount of chronic pain. And I have discovered that medical
marijuana ... makes the pain manageable. I think that my life has been
saved."

Voters in Arizona, Alaska, California, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and
Washington have approved ballot initiatives allowing the use of medical
marijuana. In Hawaii, the Legislature passed a similar law, and the
governor signed it last year.

Some advocates worry such laws were jeopardized by a U.S. Supreme Court
ruling this month that concluded there is no exception in federal
anti-drug laws for medical use of marijuana.

Julie Roche, who led the campaign to pass Colorado's medical marijuana
law, said patients are so sick they are willing to take risks.

"I don't think it will scare patients away. But I'm a little worried
that it will scare away physicians," Roche said.

She said the doctors don't have as much of a personal stake in the issue
and may not be as willing to risk involvement in something that could be
linked to illegal activity.

Gail Kelsey, administrator for the state program, said she has received
several inquiries from people who want information about how the state
and federal laws compare.

She said most still want an application after learning they could be
prosecuted.

Ror Poliac of Denver, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 12 years ago,
said he hasn't signed up for the state program because he can't afford
the nonrefundable $140 application fee.

"I've been smoking it for years. It's still medication to me. If I have
to look strange places to find it, I'll still get it. I just wish the
government would be a little more helpful in this situation," he said.

Poliac, 44, planned to contact charitable organizations for financial
help.

On Thursday, Salazar and Gov. Bill Owens publicly warned that anybody
who possesses, manufactures, distributes or dispenses marijuana still
could be convicted of a federal crime.

They also contacted the Colorado Medical Association to remind
physicians of the law and asked acting U.S. Attorney Richard Spriggs to
encourage the prosecution of anyone who tries to use the program to get
around federal anti-drug laws.

Alan Gilbert, solicitor general for Colorado, said state attorneys
examined the Supreme Court's ruling on medical marijuana before deciding
to implement Colorado's law.

"The legal conclusion is that there is a good faith legal argument to
assert that Colorado's constitutional amendment is still good law," he
said.

Although Colorado's law allows patients who have enrolled in the state
program to possess small amounts of marijuana, it does not provide a
means for those people to obtain the drug.

Even so, patients say finding marijuana isn't a problem.

"I don't think there is going to be any problem for anyone procuring
this substance," Kelly said. "If the feds want to come after sick and
dying people, they will. I think its rather sad but that's the way it
is."