SUPPORTERS PONDER MEDICAL MARIJUANA FOR 2008

For a majority of residents in the State of Michigan, legalizing the
private use of marijuana is still something they are not willing to accept.

Using the plant for medicinal purposes, however, has precedent set by
11 states in the union ranging from California's open-ended law that
provides use for, "any illness for which marijuana provides relief,"
to Vermont's law only allowing those suffering from HIV or AIDS,
cancer or Multiple Sclerosis to use.

According to Tim Beck, executive director of the Michigan chapter of
the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML),
polls indicate that residents are becoming more supportive of
medicinal use of marijuana every year.

"The demographic is changing. As baby boomers reach their prime
voting age, percentages in favor of more relaxed laws concerning
marijuana grow about two percent a year," said Beck.

Flat out legalizing the use of marijuana, however, is still not in
favor of the majority according to Beck. While several of the people
involved in the attempt to get legalized personal use on the ballot
in 2000 and 2002 now are part of NORML, the organization does not
support the attempt to get the matter on the ballot for 2008.

Legislation to authorize those with debilitating conditions to be
prescribed marijuana, HB 5470, made it to a House committee where it
died a month ago.

Beck said that NORML is now seriously considering an effort to get
the right to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, a proposal that
would look very similar to the late HB 5470, on the 2008 ballot.

According to Beck, the wording in the ballot proposal would run the
middle of the road compared to California and Vermont laws.

Though legalization for personal use is a goal of NORML, Beck said it
is a priority to make it available to those who need it first.

"We need to protect the weakest and most vulnerable first. Those
people using marijuana to decrease pain or to increase appetite do
not belong in jail," Beck said.

Raphael Lematrie, spokesperson for the Office of National Drug
Control policy said the push for medical marijuana is far from an
effort to help the sick.

"Marijuana is not modern medicine. No doctor is going to prescribe
smoking a crude weed. It has not proven to be safe," said Lematrie.

Marinol, produced by Solvay Pharmaceuticals, is a pill consisting of
a synthetic THC: the relieving chemical found in marijuana. According
to Lematrie, the pill is safe and prescribed for nausea, vomiting,
and appetite loss.

"Legalizing this drug for medicinal use is just a sideshow," Lematrie
said. "These so called grassroots movements' are well-funded
organizations backed by a lot of money."

Lematrie said that there is a reason efforts to legalize marijuana in
Nevada, Colorado and to allow medicinal use in South Carolina all
failed in a vote last November.

"No city is going to benefit from increasing drug use," Lematrie said.

Out of 11 states to legally allow marijuana to be used in a medicinal
way, eight were a result of a favorable ballot vote. Only three were
accomplished through the legislature.