MEDICAL MARIJUANA

It wasn't billed as the session on drugs, but the New Mexico
Legislature definitely has a full plate of proposed drug laws,
several of which merit passage.

At the top of the list is the perennial effort to give state approval
to the use of medical marijuana. Pass it, already.

Sanctioning the limited use of prescribed marijuana for the relief of
pain or nausea - particularly in cancer patients, including those
taking radiation or chemical therapy - is the right and humane thing
to do, despite continuing federal efforts to keep it a crime. Eleven
other states allow for medical marijuana.

If it provides relief - and the evidence is overwhelming that it does
- - and it can be medically prescribed, regulated and used in a safe
manner, medical marijuana should be allowed in New Mexico. In fact,
there really is no compelling state or federal reason to block its use. ...

Finally and unfortunately, legislative efforts to provide more money
for drug abuse treatment was derailed last week, when about $2
million to fund it was stripped from the House version of the main
budget bill. The Senate and Gov. Bill Richardson should restore the
money to the state budget, because in addition to increasing
penalties and attacking the street supply, the state should be doing
more to help addicts kick the habit.