DOCTORS KEEP MUM ON MARIJUANA

* The OMA hands pot initiative backers a victory by staying neutral but
opposes a measure that bans abortions after the 12th week

GLENEDEN BEACH -- Oregon's largest organization of physicians handed
proponents of medical marijuana a victory on Sunday, voting to remain
neutral in an impending ballot measure campaign to legalize marijuana for
therapeutic purposes.

The group also decided to oppose a proposed ballot measure that would ban
abortions after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

The governing body of the Oregon Medical Association, which represents
5,800 of the state's 8,300 physicians, changed crucial wording in a
proposed resolution under which the association would have opposed
legalizing smoked, medical marijuana.

Under the original resolution, the association would "oppose any measure
that would decriminalize marijuana, including the initiative petition
currently being advanced for the medical use of this substance ... ." But
members voted to change the wording. Now, instead of opposing the medical
marijuana initiative, the association will "not support" the measure.

On Saturday, Dr. Charles E. Hofmann of Baker City, the state association's
past president, urged it to adopt an American Medical Association report
recommending a ban on medical use of smoked marijuana until experiments
have proven its usefulness. And on Sunday, Hofmann warned the group that
the new wording would substantially weaken the original intent of the
resolution.

"When we're asked what the OMA's position is on medical marijuana, we'll
have to say we're neutral," he said. " 'Not support' means 'neutral.' Be
clear on that."

Dr. Richard Bayer, a Portland internist and a chief petitioner for the
marijuana initiative, said the association's action was a "win for the
citizens of Oregon ... and for the OMA, because the OMA made a wise and
compassionate decision."

Bayer said that members of the association's House of Delegates, its
governing body, "became educated on the specific issues (of medical
marijuana) and chose compassion."

"People realize that if they had a dying and suffering patient in the exam
room that that patient should not be subject to criminal sanctions for
trying to improve his life," he said.

Bayer said he has seen plenty of evidence that smoking marijuana relieves
nausea caused by chemotherapy and some symptoms of pain, and it is
effective in fighting weight loss in AIDS patients. Although a prescription
drug containing an active ingredient of marijuana is available, Bayer said
it sometimes isn't as effective as smoked marijuana.

The marijuana resolution also endorses recommendations in an American
Medical Association report on medical marijuana. That 29-page report
largely calls into question the medical value of smoked marijuana. It urges
that the National Institutes of Health sponsor clinical research into uses
for the drug.

James Kronenberg, associate executive director of the state association,
said after the vote that its neutrality could affect the outcome of the
election.

Kronenberg said the vote of neutrality is reminiscent of the ballot measure
campaign about physician-assisted suicide in 1994. The association had
taken a similarly neutral stance on that issue.

"Both proponents and opponents say the OMA's neutrality was a large part of
the measure's passage," he said.

The American Medical Association, of which the state association is an
affiliate, opposed physician-assisted suicide and legalization of medical
marijuana.

The House of Delegates also approved a resolution opposing a proposed
ballot measure that would ban abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Physicians regarded the measure as an intrusion into the relationship
between them and their patients. They also worried about sections of the
proposed measure that they think would make it possible for organizations
and individuals to sue doctors for performing abortions.

Dr. Zena I.P. Monji, a Eugene obstetrician-gynecologist, testified on
Saturday that the proposed abortion ban would make it virtually impossible
to terminate pregnancies in cases where tests indicated birth defects such
as Down syndrome. Such tests cannot be performed until after 12 weeks of
pregnancy, she said.

The resolution is in keeping with the association's established policy,
which is to protect access to abortion.