MARIJUANA INHALING MAY BE HEALTHY

An organization that endorses the use of marijuana to help ailing patients
met Wednesday at the Wellness Center to discuss the issue.

The Drug Policy Forum of Oklahoma explores "alternative drug strategies and
issues." The group's goal is to reduce the harm of drugs to individuals and
society by determining how to change current drug policies.

Michael Pearson, the forum's organizer and a registered pharmacist,
advocates the use of marijuana to patients who suffer from certain
illnesses. Studies have proven that marijuana has been helpful with
multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury spasms, high blood pressure,
migraines, joint pain, menstrual problems, asthma and rheumatism, he said.

Pearson said marijuana alleviates pain in instances that morphine is
effective and can reduce or eliminate the need for opiates or morphine.
Marijuana also can enhance the ability of morphine-like drugs.

Pearson said using marijuana as medicine is not a new concept. He said the
medical use of marijuana originated five thousand years ago in China when
physicians used the plant to treat malaria, absent-mindedness and "female
disorders."

Pearson said he advocates regulation of the drug.

"(I advocate) control like tobacco or alcohol is controlled," he said. "We
don't want it sold in convenience stores next to the candy."

Pearson said individuals should be able to grow marijuana in their back yards.

"But the minute (they) start making money, (they) need a license," he said.

Other drugs such as Valium are now traded illegally for marijuana. Pearson
said patients get prescriptions for Valium from doctors and then trade it
on the black market for marijuana, which is rumored to be more effective.

Ron duBois, coordinator for the forum, said, the public is suffering the
consequences of the government's war on drugs.

DuBois said law enforcement has a "lock 'em up and throw away the key"
mentality and the public is beginning to see that it has failed.

"Treatment is less expensive than incarceration," duBois said. "(It) has a
chance to arrest the disease, and (it) has a chance to return those
recovering from the disease to full citizenship," he said in an editorial.

Pearson said November elections passed medical marijuana ballot questions
in five states: Alaska, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

Pearson said drug companies are reluctant to accept the drug because a
plant is difficult to patent and because marijuana works as an
anti-depressant which might compete with other drugs for profits.

"What would happen to Prozac and other drugs that make up half (the drug
companies') money?" Pearson said.

Amy Trogdon, biology premed junior, said she thinks medical marijuana is
acceptable under strict, doctors' supervision.

"Marijuana may have some medical benefits," she said. "But I'm concerned
that if it were allowed in the medical field that the supervision would be
lax."

Julia White, nutrition premed senior, said, "It's okay to use (marijuana)
in a medical situation under strict supervision of a doctor. If it's
marijuana or nothing, marijuana should be used."