MEDICAL MARIJUANA SUPPORTERS LAUD ELECTION VICTORY

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (Reuters) - U.S. doctors on
Wednesday lauded voter support for initiatives legalising marijuana on
the ballot in six states and the District of Columbia, claiming the
government misjudged the popular mood. "Two years ago General Barry
McCaffrey said the victory of medical marijuana in California was a
fluke.

McCaffrey has been proved wrong once again" said Dr. Bill Zimmerman,
executive director of Americans for Medical Rights. McCaffrey is the
federal government's anti-drug czar. Over 55 percent of voters
approved measures legalising the use of marijuana for medical purposes
in Alaska, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

Zimmerman said voters also backed similar measures in Colorado and
Washington, D.C., but election officials have not released those
results. Exit polls showed that 69 percent of voters backed the
proposal in the District, while the Colorado measure got 61 percent
backing. Dramatic conflicts between state and federal drug policies in
recent years have hampered the distribution of marijuana through
co-operative medical marijuana clubs.

In Oakland, California the city council declared a medical state of
emergency when a marijuana co-operative was given a closure order on
October 20 by federal authorities.

Doctors campaigning for medical marijuana shrugged off government
concerns that medicinal marijuana is unscientific and damages brain,
heart and immune systems.

"Every drug has serious consequences. A thousand people die from
aspirin every year. All drugs are dangerous" said Dr. Rob Killeen.
Voters in California approved a pioneering ballot initiative in 1996
legalising marijuana for medical uses.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry