MEDICAL MARIJUANA GETS THUMBS-DOWN FROM LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

WORTHINGTON - The subject tends to bring out passion in many people, and
the argument has been going on for years - should marijuana be legalized
for medical purposes in Minnesota?

Recently, Worthington Public Safety Director Mike Cumiskey and Nobles
County Sheriff Kent Wilkening added their names in support of a document
written by Dakota County Attorney Jim Backstrom opposing medical
marijuana.

"The organizations that represent Minnesota's law enforcement
professionals strongly oppose adoption of a law legalizing marijuana for
medical purposes," the document states. "While Minnesota's law enforcers
have great compassion for persons suffering from cancer, AIDS, MS and
other serious diseases, this proposal is not limited to these patients."

The proposed bill, SF 345, passed a Senate committee earlier this month,
and a companion bill passed the House Civil Justice Committee March 11. A
previous version of the bill passed the Senate and every House committee
in the 2007-2008 session, but was never brought up for a vote on the House
floor.

If the current bill does pass, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who has said he remains
firmly opposed to it, is expected to veto it.

The Bill

The bill would provide regulation of the medical use of marijuana by
setting limits for allowable amounts of the drug. Qualifying patients and
caregivers would possess registry identification cards, which would be
issued by the Commissioner of Health. The bill would also authorize
registered organizations to grow and supply marijuana to patients and
caregivers.

A patient would be allowed to have 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana, and
caregivers would be allowed 2.5 ounces per patient. A registered
organization would be allowed up to 12 plants and 2.5 ounces of usable
marijuana and any amount of other parts of the plants for each patient.

The Opposition

"This is very problematic for law enforcement and the way we enforcement
drug laws," Wilkening stated. "Check in California and see the problems
they're having out there."

Wilkening believes that people would take advantage of the bill to possess
marijuana, even if it wasn't medically necessary.

The concerns raised by law enforcement are many. They believe the bill
allows for the growing of far more marijuana than a legitimate patient
would need for medical purposes.

"Excess quantities create incentive for drug 'rip-off' robberies and
organized crime involvement," Backstrom wrote.

The lack of law enforcement oversight is a concern, as is the lack of a
limit on the number of medical marijuana grow operations.

"Thousands of individuals or organizations could legally cultivate
significant quantities of marijuana, worth huge sums of money if illegally
sold on the streets, in their homes or backyards, placing the safety of
themselves and their neighbors in jeopardy," Backstrom stated. "Medical
marijuana outlets could show up on street corners throughout Minnesota, as
they do now in California."

In short, he added, the bill is an ill-conceived and overly broad proposal
filled with problems.

The use of marijuana has not been endorsed by the major medical
organizations representing the groups of patients proponents say need it
the most, such as the American Cancer Society, the National Multiple
Sclerosis Society and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Backstrom
claims in his document. The Minnesota Department of Human Services and the
Minnesota Society of Addiction Medicine also oppose the passage of the
law.

"The bottom line is that marijuana is a dangerous and addictive illegal
drug. It is ranked as a Schedule I controlled substance, meaning it is
illegal to sell and possess under both federal and state law," Backstrom
concluded. "Legalizing marijuana for medical purposes sends a message to
our children that it is safe to use when it is clearly not."

The Support

There are several organizations dedicated to the legalization of
marijuana, and not just for medical purposes. While a mental picture of
Dorito-eating, High Times-toting potheads wearing shirts plastered with
the likeness of Bob Marley may come to mind, there are legitimate
organizations whose purpose is to push for drug policy reform and an end
to "drug prohibition."

At www.stopthedrugwar.org, an article about the current state of the bill
in Minnesota has comments about the legalization of medical marijuana that
range all over the spectrum.

"Sane, rational people choose to be compassionate and allow (the sick) to
pursue what ever treatment they and there doctor deem appropriate," one
person wrote.

"Dude, that is like WAY cool," commented another.

Some comments include angry words for Pawlenty, and a familiar cry: "What
people want to do in there own home on their own time is their business."

The Pros And The Cons

At ProCon.org, a list of the top 10 pros and cons of medical marijuana was
compiled, with quotes from doctors, medical associations and researchers
chiming in on both sides of the issue.

On the pro side, a former U.S. surgeon general states, "The evidence is
overwhelming that marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea,
vomiting and other symptoms caused by illnesses such as multiple
sclerosis, cancer and AIDS - or by the harsh drugs used to treat them."

In the con column, a former U.S. senator wrote, "Based on current
evidence, I believe that marijuana is a dangerous drug and that there are
less dangerous medicines offering the same relief from pain and other
medical symptoms."

While the American Public Health Association urges Congress to move
expeditiously to make cannabis available as a legal medicine, the American
Medical Association calls for further controlled studies and recommends
that marijuana retain its Schedule 1 status.

A DEA administrative law judge stated, "The evidence.clearly shows
marijuana has been accepted as capable of relieving the distress of great
numbers of very ill people, and doing so safely under medical
supervision."

Yet, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy stated,
"Smoked marijuana damages the brain, heart, lungs and immune system. It
impairs learning and interferes with memory, perception and judgment.
Smoked marijuana contains cancer-causing compounds and has been implicated
in a high percentage of automobile crashes and workplace accidents."

For more information, visit www.medicalmarijuana.procon.org.