MARIJUANA LAW UNDER REVIEW

Dr. Timothy Cox said he is opposed to the new state law that allows
people suffering from certain diseases to smoke marijuana.

He said other medicine, such as Marinol, offers the same benefits as
marijuana but with results that can be more easily controlled.

"If they smoke (marijuana) we don't know how much are they actually
getting and how much of it is going up in smoke," he said.

Regardless, Cox said he will prescribe the drug to patients who
request it as a way to stimulate hunger and fight nausea.

"What I try to do is everything I can to help my patients," said Cox,
who sees about 100 cancer patients a week at Blue Water Oncology in
Port Huron. "And if it means prescribing marijuana to see if it helps,
then fine, I'll do it."

Cox is not alone.

Other doctors in the area said there is interest in the drug and that
they will prescribe the drug if appropriate for patients. A county
health professional also said there is an expectation of strong
interest in using pot to help treatment.

Michigan voters approved an amendment in November to allow residents
with certain diseases -- cancer, HIV, AIDS, glaucoma and others -- to
use marijuana. Patients who qualify can register with the state and
receive identification cards allowing them to legally acquire,
possess, grow, transport and use a limited amount of marijuana.

Some parts of the law, which officially was put on Michigan's books
last week, remain hazy.

But most professionals, such as Cox, said the details will get worked
out by the Department of Community Health ahead of its April 4 deadline.

Sue Amato, director of health education for St. Clair County Health
Department, said her department manages an HIV/AIDS program that helps
link patients to community services.

Many of the program's 40 participants probably will be interested in
getting a prescription for marijuana, she said.

"They've already started to ask us about it and because our program
has dealt with clients in the category for so long, we know it is an
item of interest to them," she said.

Dr. Brian Favero, who runs Port Huron Ophthalmology on River Street,
said in an e-mail that patients with glaucoma have asked about the
medicinal marijuana and that some will use it.

He said from his standpoint, marijuana provides "an initial benefit"
but that "tolerance is quickly achieved and the beneficial effect of
the marijuana is lost."

Favero said he is "not absolute" on whether he will prescribe
marijuana, but said if he can "isolate what it is, in the marijuana
that (helps with side effects of glaucoma) on a consistent basis, then
the answer is yes."

"For some it is a benefit, and others, all they are doing is smoking,"
he said in the e-mail. "And we know smoking in general is not a good
thing."

Identification cards for patients won't be issued until next year
after the state Department of Community Health introduces guidelines
addressing how applications will be handled, what fees will be charged
and other issues.

Until then, anyone possessing marijuana can be arrested and
prosecuted, although the law allows patients to use a
medical-justification defense at trial.

Michigan, the 13th state to allow medicinal use of marijuana, doesn't
address how patients can obtain it: It's illegal to sell marijuana,
even to registered patients.

Port Huron police Capt. Jim Jones said he isn't concerned about how
the law will be implemented and doesn't anticipate problems with the
new law.

"I think we are going to handle it as the law dictates that we handle
it," he said.

Between now and April 4, Jones said he'll treat cases of people found
with marijuana for medicinal use on an individual basis.

"Every case that comes our way will certainly have to be investigated,
and every case is different," he said.

Still, Jones said there is some concern about making such a drug more
available.

"We certainly have concerns," he said. "Marijuana is an inebriant, and
any time an inebriant becomes more accessible, we have concerns about
people driving."

Jones said even those with medical cards cannot drive under the
influence of marijuana.

"We always act in accordance with the law and trying to enforce the
law," he said.