MEDICAL MARIJUANA: YES

Last year, the Herald urged a "no" vote on an initiative that would have
authorized the use of medical marijuana because it would have decriminalized
marijuana possession.

Dr. Rob Killian, a family physician who has seen marijuana's benefits work
on patients with terminal and debilitating illnesses, took the initiative's
defeat as a sign it needed some work. He eliminated the part that would have
released prisoners convicted merely of drug possession from jail.

The new measure, Initiative 692, is a specific, no-nonsense solution to a
disagreement between the law and an increasing consensus in the medical
community. It would legalize use of marijuana by patients with certain
terminal or debilitating illnesses, such as cancer, AIDS, multiple
sclerosis, glaucoma and pain not relieved by other medications. It would
also permit physicians to advise patients about medical use of marijuana and
sets reasonable restrictions on when it can be used and how much a patient
can keep on hand.

The Herald believes marijuana use should remain illegal and subject to
penalty as it is now, but this initiative provides a narrow exception that
is appropriate for a few suffering people.

Historically, the Herald has urged this change in the law, supporting
medical use of whatever drugs are found by the professional medical
community to be effective. We hope that Congress will amend its laws so
marijuana can be treated as a controlled medical substance for purposes of
distribution.

Although the Herald does not generally support initiatives, this measure is
specific enough in its objective to merit our support.

Vote "yes" on I-692.

Checked-by: Don Beck