STUDY BACKS MARIJUANA'S MEDICAL USE

Take two tokes and call me in the morning.

A long-awaited national study released Wednesday concluded that marijuana
can offer relief to people who suffer from the debilitating effects of AIDS
or chemotherapy, giving new momentum to groups pressing for the legalization
of the drug's medicinal use.

While warning of potential dangers from smoke, the study by the Institute of
Medicine concluded that marijuana's active components can help reduce pain
and nausea. It also said there was no evidence to support the widely held
notion that marijuana use leads to harder drugs.

``For patients who do not respond well to other medications . . . short-term
marijuana use appears to be suitable in treating conditions like
chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, or the wasting caused by AIDS,''
said John Benson Jr., a co- author of the study.

The findings reignited the debate over the use of marijuana nationally and
in Connecticut, where a state law has been on the books since 1981 that
allows for possession of marijuana if prescribed by a physician for certain
medical conditions.

The law, however, is widely regarded as virtually meaningless because it
conflicts with federal law and because there is no system to legally
distribute marijuana. Advocates of medicinal marijuana say that the new
report underscores the need for a change in state drug policy and that they
will step up their efforts on that front.

``You have law enforcement making decisions doctors should be making,'' said
Jelani Lawson, executive director of the Connecticut Drug Policy Leadership
Council. ``You have well-respected individuals from all over the country
saying this is medicine and this is working.''

Lawson said he became acutely aware of the importance of the issue last
year, as his mother tried to cope with tremendous pain in a losing battle
with cancer.

``It was so hard to watch her there in the hospital in so much pain when she
was really sick,'' Lawson said. ``If someone's in pain, we need to be . . .
doing things to comfort them in their last moments.''

Chief State's Attorney John M. Bailey said that while there may be
legitimate uses of marijuana for medical reasons, any delivery or
distribution system would have to be closely monitored to prevent abuse.

``You have to strictly control the distribution for medical reasons,''
Bailey said. Otherwise, he said, there will be abuse.

The report, prepared at the request of the White House drug policy office,
said the potential for beneficial effects warranted testing marijuana in
clinical trials, the way most prescription drugs are tested before being
approved for use.

But the institute, an affiliate of the National Academy of Sciences, also
said that efforts should be made to find new ways - inhalers, for example -
to deliver the active ingredients while avoiding the potential dangers of
smoking. The study warned of increased cancer risk, lung damage and
pregnancy problems.

``Marijuana has potential as medicine, but it is undermined by the fact that
patients must inhale harmful smoke,'' said Stanley Watson of the Mental
Health Research Institute at the University of Michigan, one of the study's
principal investigators.

The report also said that in the treatment of glaucoma, the use of marijuana
appears to offer only temporary relief.

While support appears to be growing in the medical community for the use of
marijuana in limited and controlled settings, the political debate continues
to spark conflicting responses.

In several states, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon and
Washington, voters have approved measures supporting medical marijuana. On
the other hand, the House of Representative voted 310-93 last fall on a
resolution that said marijuana was a dangerous and addictive drug.

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy said it would
carefully study the recommendations.

``We note in the report's conclusion that the future of cannabinoid drugs
lies not in smoked marijuana, but in chemically defined drugs'' delivered by
other means, the office headed by retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey said in a
statement.

The report was praised by the Washington-based Marijuana Policy Project, an
advocacy group. ``The scientific evidence in the IOM report shows that
marijuana is relatively safe and effective medicine for many patients,''
said Chuck Thomas, co-director of the policy project.

A Boca Raton, Fla., stockbroker who has smoked marijuana supplied by the
federal government for 27 years becaiuse of a rare medical condition, also
praised the report.

``It's taken a long time, but I feel like now, people will stand up and
listen,'' said Irvin Rosenfeld. ``When you have a devastating disease, all
you care about is getting the right medicine . . . and not having to worry
about being made a criminal.''

But for all the evidence of potential benefits, Joseph Grabarz, who heads
the Connecticut Civil Liberties Union, said he is skeptical about the
possibility for any change in policy.

``This hysteria around the quote-unquote war on drugs has led to a
philosophy that's unbelievable,'' Grabarz said. ``The federal government and
politicians refuse to open their eyes to what the reality is.''

Information from an Associated Press report was included in this story