DOCTORS TAKE NEUTRAL STAND ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Opposition To Late-Term Abortions Unanimous

GLENEDEN BEACH, Ore. - April 26, 1998 - Oregon doctors voted Sunday to
remain neutral on a ballot measure that would legalize marijuana use for
medical purposes but they were nearly unanimous in their opposition to a
measure that would ban abortions after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Oregon Medical Association members also voted to expand efforts to report
men in their 20s who impregnate young teen-age girls, and to fight any
requirement that assisted suicide be listed on prescription forms for
terminally ill patients requesting a lethal dosage.

The OMA's house of delegates, its governing body, debated those issues over
the weekend at the annual meeting of the group that represents 5,800 of the
state's 8,300 physicians.

Dr. Charles E. Hofmann of Baker, past president of the OMA, had urged the
group to adopt an American Medical Association report recommending a ban on
medical use of marijuana until experiments have proven its usefulness.

But Dr. Richard Bayer, a Portland internist and a chief petitioner for the
marijuana initiative, told the group there's plenty of evidence showing
that marijuana relieves nausea caused by chemotherapy. He also said it is
effective in fighting weight loss in AIDS patients.

Dr. Nancy Crumpacker, a Portland oncologist and Bayer's wife, agreed. "I've
seen medical marijuana work many times," she said, referring to cancer
patients she sees in her practice.

Some physicians oppose legalization of medical marijuana because they say
it could open the door to unscientific medical practices.

"If demand dictates what we use, it will expand into other areas including
alternative medicines," said Dr. Kathleen Weaver, medical director for the
Oregon Health Plan.

She urged OMA members to wait until studies prove that marijuana is safe
and effective.

Some doctors opposed using marijuana because a synthetic drug, Marinol,
which contains one of marijuana's active ingredients, is effective for
reducing nausea in cancer patients.

More Information:

* The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)
maintains a Web site that tracks legislation and offers facts about
marijuana usage.
http://www.norml.org/

* The Lindesmith Center also offers a history of marijuana.
http://www.soros.org/lindesmith/mmjgrins.html

* The Marijuana Magazine is following the Todd McCormick case.
http://www.marijuanamagazine.com/ToddMcC.htm

* The anti-narcotics DrugWatch monitors efforts to legalize drugs from an
opposition standpoint.
http://www.DrugWatch.org/

* The pro-marijuana magazine High Times does the same thing, from a
supporter's viewpoint.
http://www.hightimes.com/~hightimes/welcome.html

* HempNet is a site devoted to "raising public awareness of the Cannabis
Hemp plant" as a product source.
http://hempnet.com/

* The Industrial Hemp Information Network is a global network of
agricultural-fiber experts and communication professionals, working to
reintroduce industrial hemp.
http://hemptech.com/hdir.html

* Ecolution keeps up on the latest news about the hemp legalization
movement. One of the stories on the Ecolution Web Site is a recent
Washington Post article that describes the national debate over hemp.
http://www.ecolution.com/press.html
http://ecolution.com/post.html

Copyright 1998 by The Associated Press