PANEL OKS MARIJUANA RESOLUTION 4-3

2nd committee rejects medical-pot measure; Quorum Court to consider it May 23

Some members of the Pulaski County Quorum Court wanted one thing
perfectly clear. Put it in big type, they said. With italics.

They don't smoke pot!

But they do endorse the notion behind the Arkansas Medical Marijuana
Act which gives physicians the right to prescribe the drug to patients
with certain debilitating illnesses.

"I do not use marijuana at all," said Justice of the Peace Wilandra
Dean, who sponsored a resolution supporting the act. "I never have.
I hope that I am never so sick that I have to. But if I am, I hope my
physician has the right to prescribe a medication as he sees fit. "

One Quorum Court Committee Tuesday night narrowly approved the
resolution 4-3, while another rejected it 5-3. Since the
Administration Committee approved the measure, the full Quorum Court
will consider it when it meets on May 23.

If the Quorum Court approves the resolution, it will become the first
governmental body in Arkansas to publicly endorse medical marijuana,
according to the Alliance for Reform of Drug Policy in Arkansas.

The alliance is trying to gather enough petition signatures to place
the medical marijuana act on the November ballot. It must get at
least 56,421 signatures from registered voters by July.

The act the alliance is sponsoring is similar to an Oregon law that
allows patients suffering from certain debilitating illnesses such as
cancer and multiple sclerosis to grow and smoke marijuana if their
doctor prescribes the drug.

Several justices of the peace said they supported the act only because
the responsibility to prescribe the drug lies with a trained medical
physician.

"This is something we've all heard about for years in other states,"
said Justice of the Peace Charles Roberson and. " I think we all know
doctors prescribe pain killing medication. Doctors prescribe
radiation and chemotherapy. Because a doctor is going to be in
charge, that's the only way I can be in support of this, and that's
how it's written. "

Dean said she decided to sponsor the resolution after she was
approached bya friend who suffers from chronic pain as the result of
post-polio syndrome. If marijuana were legal for medicinal purposes,
he might be able to find some relief.

"I've watched friends and relatives die of cancer and other diseases
that cause them unbearable pain," she said. "If this is something
that would be available to them, to stop there pain, then I would
support that."

Other Quorum Court members were quite uncomfortable with the
resolution backing medical marijuana.

Justice of the Peace Dennis Sobba said he consulted with four doctors,
including his personal physician, and none of them endorsed the idea.

"They said if you're going to do this, you're going to open this up
and it's going to be like Pandora's Box," Sobba said. "There's going
to be no control over it. "

Justice of the Peace Ann McCaleb said that while she was in favor of
letting voters decide whether or not to endorse the act, she could not
support it.

"Marijuana has not been authorized," she said "If marijuana was such a
safe drug then the Food and Drug Administration would approve it. "

If the quorum court approves the resolution, members' signatures will
not go on the petition. The resolution is a statement of public support.

Dean said she will make petition's available to the justices of the
peace who wished to lend their support to the cause.

Two other groups are trying to get marijuana initiative on the ballot.

One, is backed by the local chapter of the National Organization for
the Reform of Marijuana Laws, reduces penalties for marijuana
possession. The other initiative aims to legalize marijuana for
medical purposes and reduces possession penalties for up to a half
ounce.