PUBLIC WORKSHOP ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

A public workshop will be held today to gather public input on how the
new medical marijuana law that will go into effect Oct. 1 should be
regulated.

"We will explain the legislation and how the program might work," said
Don Henderson, assistant director of the Nevada Department of
Agriculture, the agency that will administer the program. The purpose of
the informal workshop is to hear comments on how the proposed
regulations might be improved, he said.

"It's a preliminary to formal hearings on the regulations next month,"
Henderson said.

The workshop will be held at 10 a.m. in the Sparks City Council
Chambers, 745 Fourth St., Sparks. A similar meeting will be held Aug. 9
in Las Vegas.

The new law allows Nevadans who have permission from a doctor to use
marijuana to treat symptoms of AIDS, cancer, nausea, glaucoma and other
illnesses. Approved patients could grow up to seven marijuana plants at
home, of which only three could be mature at any one time. They can use
the drug only at home.

The proposed regulation can be seen and copied at county libraries,
department offices in Reno, Sparks, Elko and Winnemucca and the Nevada
State Library in Carson City during business hours.