ANOTHER COMMITTEE OKS MEDICAL POT BILL

SANTA FE -- Rep. Ron Godbey's trial-lawyer approach to examining medical
marijuana wasn't enough to lock up his opponents.

The House Judiciary Committee followed the Senate's lead Wednesday night by
approving a medical marijuana bill with only Godbey, a member of the
committee, voting against the bill, HB 431.

The committee's approval of the bill despite Godbey's opposition suggests
it has real momentum toward final passage because Godbey is the most
outspoken anti-drug legislator at the Roundhouse.

Godbey, an Albuquerque Republican, questioned Rep. Joe Thompson, the bill's
sponsor, and his expert witness, Steve Jenison, during a committee meeting
as though they were on trial.

He started with questions about the knowledge and experience of Jenison,
medical director of the infectious disease program at the state Department
of Health.

Godbey then asked Thompson, also an Albuquerque Republican, about some
areas of U.S. and New Mexico law. The state's passage of a medical
marijuana bill could violate federal law, Godbey said. Currently,
possession of marijuana is against federal statute, regardless of a state's
determination to allow it for medical reasons.

Rep. Al Park, an Albuquerque Democrat and a fellow lawyer, said he could
have taken notes from Godbey's presentation to the committee on how to run
a deposition. A deposition is an interview that becomes part of a court trial.

Godbey asked Jenison to defend marijuana as a medically useful substance.
Godbey said there is ample evidence that science hasn't proven the drug has
benefits.

"Today in the United States no doctor can prescribe marijuana, except
through a few very limited programs," Godbey said, adding that those
programs tend to focus on scientific research and not therapeutic treatment
of patients who need relief from serious symptoms.

Jenison countered in several instances that marijuana can be effective in
treating nausea, wasting of the flesh and spasms in a way that prescription
medicines often are not.

Committee Chairman Rep. Ken Martinez, a Grants Democrat, suggested that the
bill be amended to allow the medical marijuana program to run to July 2005,
at which time the Legislature would assess its effectiveness.

The committee approved Martinez' amendment, with Godbey casting the sole
dissenting vote.

And with little debate from other members of the committee over the merits
of the bill itself, the measure was passed. It now heads to the full House
for approval.

The full Senate already approved a nearly identical medical marijuana bill
Tuesday.