BALLOT MEASURES FACE OREGON VOTERS

There Are Eight Ballot Measures Before the Voters in Oregon on Nov. 2.

The first two deal with uncontroversial matters, but the other six touch on
some of Oregon's top "hot-button issues. A summary of what each measure
does and the arguments pro and con follows. The explanations are based on
information in the Oregon Secretary of State's website. The arguments pro
and con represent a sampling of the best arguments found among those in the
Voter's Pamphlet, mailings and e-mails, talks with persons involved with
the measures, and in newspaper articles.

Measure 33: Expands the medical marijuana law, which allows registered
patients to produce, deliver and possess limited amounts of marijuana for
medical purposes.

Current law bans all marijuana sales, including to patients. The measure
would create a licensing program for nonprofit, regulated medical marijuana
dispensaries, which could supply up to six pounds of the drug per year per
patient.

It would permit such dispensaries to sell marijuana to registered patients
or their caregivers, with a percentage of sales revenue funding the program.

It would require dispensaries to give marijuana to poor patients, and
require health departments in counties without licensed dispensaries to act
as such. Designated caregivers could sell marijuana to their registered
patients.

It increases the amount registered patients may possess to 10 mature
plants, any number of seedlings, one pound of usable marijuana at any one
time or six pounds if the patient grows only one crop a year. If a patient
changes his designated caregiver, the caregiver's exemption from criminal
laws would expire.

Pro: Patients acting under the existing medical marijuana law have a
privacy right to a safe affordable supply, which can't be guaranteed unless
those providing it can be compensated. No adequate supply of medical
marijuana can be assured for all patients unless it can be safely and
legally dispensed in a regulated market.

The existing program, with 1,413 registered patients, has produced no
significant adverse health effects.

But many other people suffering with spinal injuries, multiple sclerosis,
AIDS and cancer would benefit from expanded access to medical marijuana.

Marijuana can reduce suffering from the diseases and from the side effects
of some pharmaceuticals, but many who could benefit from it cannot do so
now. The measure would not legalize marijuana.

Con: There are other, better medicines for the treatment of symptoms
alleged treatable with the drug. Seven of the nine states with medical
marijuana laws had a monthly marijuana use rate increase for 18- to
25-year-olds above the national average increase.

Monthly average marijuana use by 18- to 25-year olds in Oregon rose by 30
percent from 1999-01, when the national average rise was 3 percent.

Ten plants plus one pound could produce more than 12,000 marijuana
cigarettes; this would translate to smoking more than one every hour of
every day. Medical marijuana is not medicine, but the exploitation of
public compassion for suffering sick people.

Legitimizing the use of the drug legitimizes other drug use and so is a
threat to the health and safety of Oregonians. Oregon already has the fifth
highest marijuana use rate in the United States. The measure could worsen
that. The Oregon Medical Association opposes the measure, stating it is bad
public health policy for several reasons.

Inhaling it harms lung tissue worse than tobacco cigarettes; marijuana
contains 50 percent to 70 percent more cancerous substances than tobacco
smoke; and the drug has been linked medically to depression, schizophrenia
and suicidal thoughts.