MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROPOSAL NEEDS MORE SAFEGUARDS

If marijuana is going to be used as a medicine in Michigan its
distribution needs to be properly regulated.

Should Michigan residents approve the medical marijuana proposal on
the Nov. 4 ballot? We say NO. Not because we are unconvinced about
the medical benefits the drug could provide some sick and dying
people. There is a growing body of research and patient testimonials
about marijuana's medical properties, despite federal drug laws that
say it has no accepted medical use. Our concern is that there are not
enough safeguards in the ballot proposal to ensure proper regulation
and controlled distribution of personally grown pot.

Proposal 1 would allow people with debilitating medical conditions to
grow and use marijuana to relieve pain and suffering -- if they have
a doctor's approval. The Department of Community Health would set up
a medical marijuana registry and issue ID cards to approved users and
growers after receiving written confirmation from patients' doctors.
Authorized users could grow up to a dozen plants and possess up to
2.5 ounces for personal use.

Medical marijuana has been used by cancer patients on chemotherapy to
control severe nausea; to restore the appetites of AIDS patients and
others with wasting diseases; and to improve muscle control for
people with multiple sclerosis. Twelve states have laws that permit
the use of marijuana as a pain reliever, if recommended by a physician.

Opponents of the Michigan measure, particularly law enforcement
officials, say letting people grow and use marijuana is not only
against the law, but could increase accessibility to teenagers and
increase the number of people driving under the influence. Those are
legitimate concerns.

Figures from the Drug Free Schools Coalition indicate that one
marijuana plant can yield 28,000 joints in one year. More than
300,000 joints could be made from 12 plants. The potential for a lot
more of the drug circulating in the state is real, especially when up
to 50,000 residents could qualify for medical marijuana. That would
be one-half of one percent of Michigan's population. That is the
percentage of Oregon's population approved to use medical marijuana
since that state passed legislation in 1998.

Law officials may be concerned about legal issues, but there are
other issues, such as the quality and potency of individual crops.
Medicine should be regulated for dosage and strength to make sure
people are not over-or under-medicating. Furthermore, sick people
should not have to manufacture their own medicine. If marijuana is
going to be the used for medical purposes in Michigan, we should
figure out a better way to produce and distribute it safely. A
proposal introduced in Minnesota did not allow patients to grow their
own marijuana. They had to buy it from a registered non-profit outlet.

Drugs such as morphine, steroids, Valium and others are illegal
without a doctor's prescription, and their production and use are
regulated by the government. Medical marijuana should get the same treatment.

The National Marijuana Policy Project provided the funds to get
Proposal 1 on the ballot in Michigan. Helping sick people feel better
is an admirable goal. But this measure doesn't have adequate
safeguards that would keep medical marijuana in the hands of the
intended users -- and out of the hands of those who shouldn't have it.