MEDICAL MARIJUANA ISSUE GOES TO CHURCH

The Rev. Brent Smith believes people ought to be able to legally smoke pot
to help them cope with cancer or other medical conditions.

In fact, Smith is among the registered Michigan voters who have signed a
petition to put the issue on the November ballot. But the senior minister at
Fountain Street Church isn't stopping there.

This Sunday the pastor is setting aside space in his church for members of
his congregation to circulate the proposed Personal Responsibility Amendment
to the state constitution.

Under the proposed amendment, anyone 21 or older could grow a small amount
of pot and smoke it at home, as well as use it for health purposes. Backers
have until July 11 to obtain 300,000 signatures to place the matter before
voters on Nov. 7.

"It is common sense and maybe we have matured enough as a culture to be able
to use this substance for helpful purposes," Smith said.

Although Smith's interest islargely in allowing medicinal use, other
Fountain Street members support its effective decriminalization of the drug.

"This issue essentially boils down to personal responsibility," said Jack
Harris, a member of Fountain Street's social action committee, the group
that will be seeking signatures on Sunday.

Police, lawmakers, drug rehabilitation experts and physician groups oppose
making use of marijuana legal. They argue that other drugs are available to
treat medical conditions and that recreational use can lead to addiction to
harder drugs.

"'I categorically reject the medical issue," Grand Rapids Police Chief Harry
Dolan said. "This (ballot proposal) is a weak attempt to legalize pot."

Greg Schmid, a Saginaw attorney coordinating the petition drive, said he has
about 3,000 volunteers -- 150 in Kent and another 70 in Ottawa counties --
seeking signatures.

"We see this as a threshold issue regarding the matter of our own personal
responsibility," Schmid said. "This isn't about pot. It's about civil
rights."

But state Sen. William VanRegenmorter, R-Jenison, said that's what
especially troubles him. He is afraid the amendment would open the door to
protecting a variety of individual behaviors that can be harmful to others.

"If this is passed, I think many state laws would be affected,"
VanRegenmorter said.

David Fox, a spokesman for the Michigan State Medical Society, said his
group discourages marijuana use, but it also encourages more research into
its potential medicinal benefits.

The active ingredient in marijuana can help fight pain and nausea and
deserves to be tested in scientific trials, the federal Institute of
Medicine determined last year.

Mike Reagan, president of Project Rehab, a local drug rehabilitation
organization, said he also supports more research.

But he opposes legalizing marijuana for personal use, since that would
likely lead to addiction problems, especially among teens and children, he
said.

In the past few years, voters in Alaska, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon
and Washington have approved measures in support of medical marijuana.

For more information on the Personal Responsibility Amendment, look on the
Web at www.ballot2000.net