MEDICAL MARIJUANA SPARKS UP LOCAL DEBATE

LYNN - The topic of medicinal marijuana is one that can go up in
smoke according to Essex County Sheriff Frank Cousins and state
Rep. Robert Fennell.

To date, four sheriffs in Massachusetts have come out in support of
the bill: Carmen Massimiano of Berkshire County, Robert Garvey of
Hampshire County, Richard Bretschneider of Nantucket County, and
Andrea Cabral of Suffolk County.

But Cousins, however, said he considers marijuana and alcohol to be
gateway drugs and is not in favor of marijuana being decriminalized
for medicinal purposes.

"What we are finding are people trying to get off of prescription
drugs and illegal drugs, and that is what scares me about this
medical marijuana," he said. "People say, I have Zoloft, Xanax and
Vicodin from a doctor that is prescribed. When they abuse it, that
is where the problems come in like a ladder, going to more potent
drugs and that is not acceptable to me."

Last month, the Massachusetts Bar Association's House of Delegates
voted in favor to support a bipartisan medical marijuana bill that
was introduced in the State House earlier this year.

The bill would regulate the medical use of marijuana by patients
approved by physicians and certified by the department of public
health. Former Massachusetts Bar Association president David White,
who introduced the measure, said the MBA supports the legislation
because it affirms the rights of patients to be treated with medical
marijuana, while including important regulations to deter improper use.

"Provisions like state-issued ID cards for patients, state
certification of a limited number of dispensaries and rules
governing secure growing sites, ensure that only patients who have
their doctor's recommendation can obtain medical marijuana," he said.

Cousins said he has noticed an alarming number of people who are
released from prison that go through re-entry programs and are found
to be addicted to prescription drugs.

"My goal is to get people drug and alcohol free when incarcerated
and to keep them that way," he said.

To date, 13 states have passed medical marijuana laws, including
Rhode Island and Vermont, with legislation being considered in 14
other states including New York and New Jersey.

Despite those states approving the bill, Fennell said he has
identified certain flaws and lack of safeguards to prevent people
from illegally sharing or selling the drug.

"As history has shown us, opening up this Pandora's box would be
doing more harm to our society in the long term," he said. "In the
late 1800s, cocaine was considered an acceptable pain relief
medication, but after the United States government took note of the
5,000 deaths due to overdoses of this drug, it was banned under the
Harrison Act of 1914. I am confident that a safer alternative to
medical marijuana can be used as well, that is as effective, but
does not pose the same negative social impact."

The entire text of the bill can be read at
: http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/186/ht02/ht02160.htm