MEDICAL POT GETS SUPPORT

WASHINGTON - Marijuana has medical benefits for people suffering from
cancer and AIDS and should undergo scientific trials to see how it
works best, a panel of medical experts concluded Wednesday in a report
to the federal government.

But Rep. Bill McCollum, R-Longwood, who led the fight to get the House
to condemn medical marijuana last fall, said he is ``deeply
concerned'' the report might encourage people to smoke marijuana. The
drug remains illegal under federal law, despite ballot measures
approving its use in Alaska, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon and
Washington. The new report is sharpening debate about its use.

The Institute of Medicine, an affiliate of the National Academy of
Sciences, said marijuana's active ingredients can ease pain, nausea
and vomiting. It urged the development of a standard way to use the
drug, such as an inhaler.

The conclusion was greeted warmly by most marijuana advocates, but
opponents said they worry the report will encourage marijuana use.

``Let us waste no more time in providing this medication through
legal, medical channels to all the patients whose lives may be
saved,'' said Daniel Zingale of AIDS Action.

McCollum acknowledged that some of the chemicals in marijuana can be
useful, but said their place is in inhalers or pill form. ``We should
not sanction smoked marijuana because there is no way to control
that,'' McCollum said.

White House drug adviser Barry McCaffrey said the findings are
unlikely to send pharmaceutical companies scrambling to do research on
marijuana.

``Our experience is there is little market interest,'' McCaffrey
said.