POT USING PATIENT BACKS BAY STATE PROPOSAL

Elvy Mussika brought her prescription bottle full of
governmentsupplied joints with her from Florida to testify
before a Beacon Hill health department panel planning a
study of medical marijuana yesterday.

"I'm supplied by the federal government, and I smoke 10
joints a day," she said. "If I didn't, I'd be totally blind
today. Mussika, in her 50s and the mother of two grown
children, is one of just eight Americans legally allowed to
smoke pot. She uses it to prevent her glaucoma from getting
worse.

The Hollywood, Fla., resident sued the government to win
legal permission to smoke pot nine years ago after she got
arrested for possession. "We are seriously ill patients,
not criminals," she said.

She said she tried conventional treatments for the eye
disease for years, but surgery and medications left her
blind in one eye. That's when she opted in favor of pot.

Mussika joined a group of doctors, nurses, lawyers and
marijuana advocates urging approval of the medical use
of pot. The Department of Public Health's plan is to seek
federal approval to run a study of pot's effectiveness on
patients suffering from glaucoma, asthma and the effects of
cancer treatment.

Even if permission is denied, however, the state wants
to enroll patients in the program so they can use their
certification as a defense if arrested.

Joining Mussika yesterday in supporting the plan were
Dr. Arnold Robbins, representing the Massachusetts Medical
Society, Lorraine Schieve, a nurse at Massachusetts General
Hospital and representatives of two organizations that
advocate marijuana decrimininalization.

But the idea was strongly opposed by members of some
antidrug organizations.

"Marijuana is a gateway drug," said William Breault of
Worcester's Main South Alliance for Public Safety."Your
attempt to make its use medically acceptable, contrary to
all existing credible studies, is sending an undesirable
message to young people.

"This is irresponsible behavior by a government agency.
We don't need this nonsense. It's a dopey idea."