Doctors Group Backs Bill to Research Medical Pot Use

By ERIC BAILEY, Times Staff Writer

SACRAMENTOThe California Medical Assn. is throwing its
weight behind a legislative effort to finance $6 million
in research on the therapeutic uses of marijuana and design a
distribution system for patients who may need the drug.

The announcement is planned for a news conference at the
Capitol this morning. The state's biggest doctors group last
year opposed Proposition 215, the medical marijuana measure
approved by California voters in November.

Backers of the bill by state Sen. John Vasconcellos
(DSanta Clara) said the group's support should improve its
chances and could help sway Gov. Pete Wilson. The governor
has twice in recent years vetoed legislation that would
legalize the medical use of marijuana, prompting advocates of
the drug to sponsor Proposition 215.

"We believe if the base of support for the bill is
broad, the governor will recognize that this is not a fringe
issue," said Rand Martin, Vasconcellos' chief of staff. "This
is a mainstream issue. This is a goodforCalifornians
issue."

But a spokesman for Wilson said it remains doubtful that
the governor will change his mind.

"We're very skeptical that any bill on the use of
medicinal marijuana would be acceptable, given that doctors
can prescribe the pill form of marijuana as a substitute for
smoking pot," said Sean Walsh, Wilson's spokesman. "That is
certainly a more manageable way to deal with the issueand
certainly sends a better message to California youth as well."

Vasconcellos' bill would create a 12member task force
to design a distribution network making marijuana available
to those in need. It would also allocate $2 million annually
over the next three years for the University of California to
conduct research into the potential therapeutic uses and
health risks of pot.

Officials at the medical group, which represents more
than 38,000 physicians in the state, said their support was
based largely on the need for research. The group has long
advocated broad clinical trials to determine if marijuana
helps certain patients.

"We are really committed to beginning the appropriate
research," said Steve Thompson, the medical group's
government affairs chief. "Until it's done, there's going to
be this damnable debate as to its effectiveness."

Officials at Americans for Medical Rights, which helped
push Proposition 215, said the state must take the lead
because the federal government is moving too slowly.

"Foot dragging is the rule of the day at the federal
level, so we need to give it a spark," said Dave Fratello,
the group's spokesman. "CMA agrees with us [that] it's going to
take political pressure and state funding to make that happen."