OFFICIALS WORKING OUT DETAILS ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL

ST. PAUL (AP) -- A proposal to allow marijuana to be smoked for some medical
conditions faced an uncertain future Tuesday after a Senate panel considered
the bill proposed by Sen. Pat Piper.

" When people are suffering, I think we need to find a way to alleviate
their suffering, " said Piper, DFL-Austin.

Public Safety Commissioner Charlie Weaver and Gov. Jesse Ventura support the
limited medical use of marijuana, but they don't want the state to be at
odds with federal law.

" The biggest problem with the bill now is that it forces people to commit
felonies, " Weaver told the Senate Health and Family Security Committee.

He suggested applying for a federal waiver and then running a pilot program
through the University of Minnesota or the University of Mississippi, where
a program has begun. The state Pharmacy Board would oversee the project.

But Piper wasn't sure a pilot program would reach enough people fast enough.
Her bill would give qualified patients legal protection if they used
marijuana and give their doctors legal protection if they suggest it.

The bill doesn't address who would produce or sell the drug, or whether they
could be prosecuted under state law.

Piper acknowledged that the federal law is a stumbling block.

Although six states have enacted laws that protect marijuana users with a
demonstrated medical need, they still face possible federal prosecution.

U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., has proposed lifting the federal ban on the
medical use of marijuana in those states where it is approved as a treatment
for pain, nausea or other problems.

Frank's bill would reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II drug, meaning that
it could be prescribed by doctors under certain conditions, just as cocaine
and other controlled substances are. Prescriptions for such drugs are
subject to federal and state review.

His bill would affect only states that have allowed medicinal marijuana.

"The issue does need a better, more informed debate at the federal level,"
Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said.

Malcolm said Ventura wants Minnesota to push the federal debate.

Piper' s bill was held over until Wednesday to give Weaver, Malcolm and
Piper time to work on it.

"As commissioner of public safety, the concern is, how do you do this
without creating a nightmare for law enforcement?" Weaver said.

Even if the three can reach a compromise, it's unclear how the bill would
fare. Some lawmakers oppose making marijuana more accessible for any reason.

" It's terrible, " said Sen. Dan Stevens, R-Mora.

The New England Journal of Medicine has editorialized in favor of medical
marijuana, and the American Medical Association has urged the National
Institutes of Health to support more research on the subject.

Earlier this month, Canada' s health minister authorized clinical trials to
determine if marijuana is useful for some terminal illnesses and other
painful conditions.