CLINTON ANTI-DRUG DEPUTY ATTACKS MARIJUANA MEASURES

Donald Vereen Tours States To Warn That Effective Medical Use Of The Drug
Has Not Been Proved

A White House anti-drug spokesman Friday urged Oregonians to let doctors --
and not voters -- determine what is medicine.

"I didn't know you went to the ballot box for medicine, said Donald Vereen,
deputy director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Vereen was in Portland briefly, speaking on behalf of the Clinton
administration in opposing medical marijuana initiatives. There are
initiatives on the ballots in five states and the District of Columbia.

From Oregon, he was flying to Washington state and planned a conference
call for radio broadcast in Alaska. In past weeks, he has campaigned
against medical marijuana in Nevada, Arizona and the District of Columbia.

In Oregon, Measure 67 allows patients to grow and smoke marijuana if their
doctors say it will alleviate symptoms of debilitating illnesses.

"Medicine must be safe and effective, Vereen said. There is a system in
place to determine this, but, unfortunately, these initiatives bypass these
efforts. No science has demonstrated marijuana to be of medicinal value.

Dan Noelle, Multnomah County sheriff and co-director of Oregonians Against
Dangerous Drugs, said the real goal of legalizing medicinal marijuana is to
legalize drugs. He views the campaign as an effort to make marijuana
mainstream.

Dr. Richard Bayer, a chief petitioner for Measure 67, countered that the
measure contains no hidden or misguided agendas. The only issue, he said,
is to provide dying and suffering patients medicinal marijuana if they so
desire.

"Measure 67 does not legalize anything, period, Bayer said. It simply
creates a safe harbor so seriously ill patients are not arrested for using
medicinal marijuana under a doctors supervision.

Vereen said he is not against having tests conducted on the validity of
using marijuana for medicinal purposes. Until we see the results, he said,
the drug has no place as a medicine.

But Vereens message may be falling on deaf ears. Polling indicates that
about 60 percent of Oregonians favor Measure 67.

"The issue is about practicing compassion, Bayer said. And showing empathy
and concern for others sends a good message to everyone.

Noelle said using the compassion issue is a ploy. He said 70 percent of
people who are arrested have serious drug or alcohol issues, and legalizing
marijuana in any way cannot help the problem.

Vereen said everyone who is sick needs the best possible care. Until the
side effects of smoking marijuana are determined, he said, the drug is not
a safe medical alternative.

Meanwhile, three former presidents -- George Bush, Jimmy Carter and Gerald
Ford -- have written a Dear Fellow Citizen letter to point out why medical
marijuana initiatives should be defeated. These initiatives are not based
on the best available science, the letter argues. Prejudging research
through a political process would be irresponsible and is not in our
national interest.