SAN MATEO TO DESIGN CLINICAL TRIALS OF POT

Redwood City San Mateo County supervisors have taken the first step in what
they hope will result in an unprecedented federally sanctioned study on
whether medical marijuana can ease the pain of seriously ill patients.

Board members voted to spend $50,000 over a six-month period to help design
the three-year clinical trial. Before the trial can start, it needs federal
Food and Drug Administration approval.

"There's a real lag between the law and real life," said Supervisor Mike
Nevin, the board's most outspoken supporter of Prop. 215, the medical
marijuana initiative approved by voters in 1996.

Prop. 215 allows patients and their primary caregivers to posses or grow
marijuana for doctor-recommended medical treatment.

Although there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that pot-smoking helps people
cope with the pain of serious illnesses, there is no sanctioned scientific
evidence to back up such claims.

If the clinical trial proceeds, it would be the first scientific look in the
country at whether using medical marijuana can relieve pain associated with
AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses, according to Margaret Taylor, the
county's director of health services.

Checked-by: Melodi Cornett