QUESTION 2: NO

(Citizen initiative allowing use of marijuana if approved by a
physician) Two years ago, the New England Journal of Medicine
editorialized in favor of the medicinal value of marijuana.

And while the Maine Medical Association opposes passage of Question 2,
there is evidence that marijuana can reduce nausea and vomiting among
people undergoing chemotherapy, stimulate the appetites of people with
AIDS, and help those with muscle spasms from chronic diseases such as
epilepsy. Consequently, the suggestion that physicians should not be
allowed to prescribe marijuana to alleviate suffering among patients
who might benefit from its use seems misguided. But there are problems
with Question 2. Enactment of such a law would have Maine run afoul of
the federal government, which promises to crack down on physicians
prescribing marijuana.

Another concern is the issue of potency and purity.

If marijuana is to be treated like a medicine, it should be dispensed
like a medicine o in known doses by registered pharmacists. Question 2
would not allow doctors to prescribe marijuana; it would only allow
them to suggest that patients raise it and use it. Thatis a bit like
advising someone who needs morphine to grow his own opium poppies. If
marijuana has a role to play in the alleviation of pain and suffering,
it ought to be available by prescription to patients who need it. But
thatis a far cry from giving certain people a get-out-of-jail-free
card for violating laws against marijuana possession. If marijuana is
to be regarded as a medicine, it ought to be treated like a medicine.