IOWA POLL: IOWANS OK WITH MEDICINAL POT

Nearly two-thirds of Iowans think patients should be allowed to use
marijuana as medicine if their doctors approve, a new Iowa Poll shows.

However, fewer than a third of Iowans want to make the drug legal
for people who just want to get high, the poll shows.

Fourteen states have decided to allow medical uses of marijuana. The
Iowa Board of Pharmacy plans to decide on Wednesday whether to
recommend that the Iowa Legislature follow suit.

Supporters of the idea say marijuana can relieve pain and nausea for
many patients suffering from debilitating diseases, including
cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis.

But skeptics say prescription drugs already are available for those
purposes, and legalizing marijuana for medical purposes could make
it easier to obtain the drug for recreational use, they say.

Sixty-four percent of Iowans support allowing medical uses of
marijuana, the Iowa Poll found. Thirty-three percent oppose the
idea. Three percent are not sure.

Only 28 percent of Iowans favor legalizing marijuana for
recreational use, and 70 percent oppose the idea.

Poll participant Kevin Sikkink, 44, of Decorah agrees with the
majorities on both questions.

Sikkink, who teaches part time at a community college and works in
electronics, said he believes some ill people could see legitimate
benefits from marijuana.

"If it's under a doctor's prescription, what's the difference
between that and penicillin?" he asked.

Sikkink noted that pharmacies already sell addictive drugs, such as
OxyContin, which he believes are at least as dangerous as marijuana.

Sikkink thinks legislators have more important things to worry
about, including the budget, but he would support an eventual move
to legalize medical uses of marijuana in Iowa. He said he would not
support legalizing recreational uses of marijuana, partly because
he believes that could legitimize cocaine and other highly addictive drugs.

"I think it provides a nice gateway to the harder stuff," he said.

Todd Berner, 42, an engineer from Independence, opposes legalizing
marijuana for any uses. He sees the medical-marijuana campaign as a
cover for people who want to get high.

"You can see what's happened in California. It's become a pothead's
dreamland," he said, referring to the hundreds of marijuana shops
that have opened since that state decided to allow medical marijuana use.

Berner said that doctors already can prescribe legal prescription
drugs to fight pain or nausea, and they don't need to add marijuana
to the list. He doesn't see why, after taking aggressive action to
stem cigarette use, the government would loosen regulations on marijuana.

Ann O'Brien, 75, of Dubuque said she definitely supports letting
patients use marijuana to treat medical problems. She said she also
has no major problem with letting Americans use it for recreational reasons.

"You know, I don't smoke marijuana -- never have," she said. "But I
don't think people should go to jail for smoking it. I don't think
it's worse than booze."

O'Brien is a nurse who works for a Catholic church. She said she
believes some patients could be helped by smoking marijuana,
especially for pain associated with diseases such as cancer.

"I just don't know where the harm is in it, especially for someone
who is terminal," she said.

O'Brien's views, especially on the recreational-use question, are
unusual among poll participants her age. Only 11 percent of Iowans
age 65 and older think marijuana should be legalized for recreation.
Support is stronger among younger poll participants. Forty percent
of adults younger than 35 say they support general legalization of the drug.

There is less of a generational split on the medical-marijuana
question, the poll shows. Among seniors, 52 percent favor legalizing
the drug for such purposes. Support is 67 percent among adults
younger than 35.

Iowans' politics appear to strongly influence their views on the questions.

Support for medical marijuana is 76 percent among Democrats, 47
percent among Republicans, and 66 percent among political
independents, the poll shows. Support for general legalization of
marijuana is 36 percent among Democrats, 14 percent among
Republicans and 31 percent among independents.

The debate is both philosophical and scientific. Both sides cite
reams of reports on marijuana's effectiveness and dangers, or lack
thereof. Proponents say the drug is safer and more affordable than
many prescription medications. Opponents say that it
is unnecessary, and that legalizing it for medical uses would open
the door for more illicit uses.

Support for loosening marijuana laws is stronger nationally than in
Iowa, another recent poll found. The ABC News/Washington Post poll,
released last month, found that 81 percent of Americans support
allowing marijuana use for medical reasons, and 46 percent favor
legalizing small amounts of marijuana for personal use in general.

New Jersey last month became the 14th state to allow medical uses of
marijuana. The others are Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii,
Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island,
Vermont and Washington state. The states vary in how much marijuana
users may possess, how they must document their medical need, and
where they may obtain the drug.

Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, but President Barack
Obama's administration has said it would not prosecute patients for
using it if they follow rules states set for medical purposes.
Federal law forbids physicians from formally prescribing the drug,
but they may write notes saying they approve of a patient's use of it.