STUDY SET ON HOW NEVADA WILL HANDLE MEDICAL POT USE

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- The Nevada Board of Medical Examiners has
agreed to participate in a study of how the state will handle
distribution of medical marijuana in the new millennium.

Board President Arne Rosencrantz of Las Vegas said Monday the panel
decided to be part of a coalition of health care providers that will
look at the problems of letting patients use pot in 2001.

"We are trying to get ahead of the curve since it looks like the
initiative will pass," Rosencrantz said.

Nevada voters will decide in November 2000 whether to amend the state
constitution and allow the distribution of marijuana to people with
cancer, glaucoma and other heath problems.

Because voters overwhelmingly approved the same initiative last year,
Rosencrantz figures they will make the same choice next year. Nevada
law requires voters to approve initiative questions twice before the
constitution is amended.

If the question passes again, the Legislature in 2001 would have to
develop laws to carry out the wishes of voters.

A coalition of members of the Board of Pharmacy, the Board of Medical
Examiners and other organizations will study ways to acquire marijuana
and then to distribute it to people with health care needs.

"We need a method of dealing with it," Rosencrantz said. "California
is still having problems. I don't know if there is a great solution,
but at least we will have some idea of what we are working with."

The Board of Pharmacy initiated the move for the state to study
medical marijuana.

Five states and the District of Columbia already have approved medical
marijuana initiatives. California marijuana backers formed a number of
buyers clubs for distribution after its voters passed an initiative in
1996. Most have been closed down by federal authorities.

Nevada law makes possession of even a small amount of marijuana a
felony, although the offense will be removed from records of some
users if they complete anti-drug programs. An attempt to reduce the
offense to a misdemeanor failed to secure approval from the
Legislature earlier this year.