BACKING FOR LAW ON MEDICAL POT CLIMBS IN POLL

Californians' views about the use of medical marijuana have relaxed
dramatically since voters agreed to legalize the drug for ill patients in
this state eight years ago, a new statewide survey found.

Now three in four voters, cutting across political, religious and
generational spectrums, believe that 1996's largely stalled medical
marijuana proposition should be enforced, according to a Field Poll
released today.

That is a far greater percentage than cast ballots in favor of Proposition
215, which is supposed to exempt from criminal charges patients or
caregivers with a doctor's prescription to possess or cultivate marijuana.
The law passed with 56 percent approval.

The law has largely stalled because federal authorities refuse to recognize
it in California and continue to enforce federal marijuana laws even in
medical cases.

"A majority of (voters) are supportive of implementation of the law," said
survey director Mark DiCamillo. "There is no subgroup -- be it
conservative, be it regular churchgoer, be it Republican -- that is opposed."

Indeed, six in 10 Republicans surveyed and more than half of those who said
they considered themselves conservative favor the law's implementation.

"The will of the people comes first and foremost, period," said survey
respondent Gerrold Webber, a 56-year-old Sacramento letter carrier, who is
a Republican. "If the people vote for it, it should be implemented."

The latest poll also found some pronounced changes in Californians'
attitude about the drug, although voters by a 5-3 ratio oppose legalizing
marijuana to sell in a similar fashion as alcohol or tobacco, which would
generate tax revenues for the state.

Half of the voting public said they believe marijuana is no more dangerous
than alcohol, compared to just 16 percent who felt that way in a 1969 Field
Poll.

"It isn't something where the public is fearing the consequences of
widespread abuse," said DiCamillo.

However, DiCamillo said, attitudes about the dangers of marijuana are
related to whether voters said they had ever smoked it. Of those who said
they have -- about half of those surveyed -- almost two-thirds said the
drug is no more dangerous than alcohol. A little more than a third of those
who said they had never used the drug agreed.

Webber said he has never smoked it, but said he "always felt that marijuana
was probably the lesser of evils out there."

"There might be a little more risk with marijuana than alcohol but compared
to the benefits of aiding sick people, I think it's a tradeoff," Webber
said. "If (the terminally ill) can get some kind of benefit from it then I
think, yeah, it should be allowed."

Hazen Simkins, 87, a retired Sacramento resident who considers his
political views "middle-of-the-road," said he disapproves of marijuana use
unless it occurs "under normal medical channels under prescription
directions." He said he supports its use particularly among the terminally ill.

"I suppose it's no different than any other sedative or drug that they use
in medicine," he said.

The Field Poll also found that the belief that marijuana leads a person to
use more dangerous drugs has dipped over time. In 1969, eight in 10
Californians felt that the drug led to more dangerous habits, compared to
about half today.

The findings are based on a telephone survey of 500 registered voters
conducted from Jan. 5 to 13. The poll has a margin of error of 4.5
percentage points.