OTTAWA APPROVES CLINICAL MARIJUANA TRIALS

Study Could Lead To Legalization For Patients

Ottawa - The federal government plans to start clinical trials on the
therapeutic benefits of marijuana -- a study that could eventually
lead to legalizing the drug for people suffering from diseases such as
cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis.

Health Minister Allan Rock announced yesterday that his department is
developing guidelines for the trials to establish clear scientific
evidence whether marijuana helps chronically and terminally ill
patients manage pain and deal with other symptoms of their illnesses.

The study would examine how the drug should be administered, and how a
safe supply could be distributed to qualifying patients.

"There are people who are dying," Mr. Rock said. "They want access to
something they believe will help with their symptoms. We want to
help." He said it hasn't been determined how long the trials will take
or who will participate, but the study is expected to be a partnership
between the government and private researchers.

The Health Department has already consulted with the Food and Drug
Administration in the United States -- which is also planning similar
trials -- about acquiring a supply of the drug for the tests. Making
marijuana available to patients by prescription will not require an
amendment to the criminal code, a Health Department source said. The
drug could be administered under an existing section of the Food and
Drug Act, which allows for special access to prohibited substances.

Anecdotal evidence that marijuana alleviates pain in some patients has
been growing -- although people continue to face criminal charges
across Canada even when they claim to be using it for medical purposes.

That's what happened to Mark Crossley, a 38-year-old Nova Scotia man
with an inoperable brain tumour, who said the government's
announcement is "long overdue." Mr. Crossley was sentenced last week
to four months of house arrest and 18 months probation for growing
marijuana in his backyard. He said he received the sentence even after
the court was told he smoked the drug to deal with the painful
headaches and appetite loss caused by his cancer -- a practice
supported in writing by his doctor.

"They've sentenced me to a death, slowly and cruelly," Mr. Crossley
said. "I've got three to four years left. [The judge] is not in a
position to tell me what I can do with my health."

Mr. Rock said his announcement is not a step toward a widespread
legalization of the drug.

"This has nothing to do with legalizing marijuana," he said, but
added, "I think Canadians support on a compassionate basis, if someone
is dying, access to a substance that could alleviate their suffering."

An Edmonton doctor who specializes in pain management applauded the
announcement yesterday, saying clinical trials are needed to set up
national standards and study all sides of the issue. Doctor Helen Hays
is about to publish a paper on a patient she studied who smoked
marijuana to counter the symptoms of a debilitating and painful muscle
disorder. "There was a tremendous improvement," she said, while
cautioning the drug brings its own side effects and doesn't work for
everyone. "We all need to know an awful lot more about it."

Mr. Rock's announcement pre-empts a debate today in the House of
Commons of a private member's bill from a Bloc Qu8Ab8Acois MP that asks
the government to conduct studies on the issue. Stephane Bigras has
obtained support for his motion from the Bloc, New Democrat and
Progressive Conservative caucuses, as well as prominent medical
doctors among the Liberals. But the idea is not said to be supported
by the majority of Reform MPs.

Reform health critic Grant Hill, a doctor who is against patients
smoking marijuana, said he is worried about the drug becoming too
widespread in its use. "Does the minister go down this road knowing
how far it will go?" he asked.

But Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett, who is also a doctor, said the medical
community needs guidelines to resolve the dilemma.

"It's been a shame," Dr. Bennett said, "that when there's something
that really works for people they have to use illegal routes to get
it."

Doctors can currently prescribe a synthetic form of marijuana, but it
is expensive, and many patients complain that oral forms of the drug
don't work as well as smoking it.