DEMOCRATS SUPPORT USE OF MEDICINAL MARIJUANA

Some state party officials worry that the endorsement by platform
convention delegates might hurt candidates in the fall elections

The Oregon Democratic Party has gingerly stepped into the growing political
fight over marijuana by endorsing the medicinal use of the illegal drug.

Delegates to a party platform convention in Eugene last weekend voted 72-69
in favor of medicinal marijuana after Democratic officials fretted about
whether it would hurt or help their candidates in the fall elections.

Republicans said Monday it was too soon to tell whether they would make
marijuana a big issue in candidate races. But marijuana is destined to be a
prominent issue.

Voters will be asked Nov. 3 whether they want to approve or reject the law
passed by the 1997 Legislature recriminalizing the possession of small
amounts of marijuana. Currently, possession of less than an ounce is a
noncriminal violation punishable by a maximum fine of $1,000.

There also is a well-financed effort to put an initiative on the ballot
that would allow people to use marijuana if they can show they have a
medical condition that might be helped by the drug. Two other pro-marijuana
initiatives also have been filed.

In addition to a short platform of general goals, the Democratic Party
approved a legislative agenda that says physicians should be able to
prescribe marijuana for medical uses.

"The general public is willing to allow marijuana to be used as a
medicine," said Rep. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, citing studies showing it
has helped treat glaucoma and helped reduce nausea among cancer patients.
"I just think this is a no-brainer," he said, noting that medical marijuana
measures have been approved by voters in California and Arizona.

But other Democratic officials said they worried their candidates would be
portrayed as soft on drugs.

"Several people expressed my view, which is that this is going to be
misinterpreted," said Marc Abrams, state party chairman. Abrams said he
fears the party's stance will be sensationalized.

Rep. John Minnis, R-Wood Village, who led the fight for the 1997 bill to
recriminalize marijuana possession, said the Democratic support for medical
marijuana might be "great cannon fodder" for Republicans.

He said that smoking marijuana offers no proven medical benefit and that
federal authorities should decide on the use of new medications. The
Democratic action is "like saying heroin is such a good drug because a lot
of people like it," he said.

Minnis acknowledged the popularity of medical-marijuana initiatives in
other states. He said he doesn't know whether Republicans would use the
issue. Joel Cole, a spokesman for the Oregon Republican Party, noted that
party platforms don't generally become big issues in campaigns.

One exception was in 1990 when the Democratic Party endorsed a ban on
logging in old-growth forests. That led some Democrats in timber regions to
change their registration and appeared to contribute to Republican gains in
rural legislative districts.

Abrams said he would pounce on Republicans if they try to attack Democrats
on medical marijuana.

"Let they who are without crazy planks cast the first stone," said Abrams,
criticizing the Republican platform for provisions that called for teaching
"scientific creationism" in school and defending parents' right to spank
their children.

The Democratic policy agenda also supported repeal of the law that returns
higher-than-expected income tax collections to corporate and individual
taxpayers. The money should go into a "rainy day" fund to help tide the
state over in an economic downturn.

The party endorsed expanding the Oregon Health Plan to cover all low-income
people and supported increased vehicle registration fees to pay for
transportation projects.

The agenda included strong stands in favor of abortion and gay rights, and
support for measures aimed at spurring union drives.

Jeff Mapes covers politics for the Public Life team. Contact him by phone
at 221-8209, by mail at 1320 S.W. Broadway, Portland, Ore. 97201, or by
e-mail at jeffmapes@news.oregonian.com.