A MEDICAL 'CATCH 22'

Does it make any sense to legalize the use and possession of marijuana
for medical purposes, but offer no legal way for patients to acquire
it? No, but this is what has been going on in Nevada since our
constitutionally backed medical marijuana law became effective Oct. 1,
2001.

Under the law, patients must receive approval from their doctors to
use marijuana. They must have their fingerprints checked, to ensure
against prior drug convictions. They must apply to the state
Department of Agriculture. Finally, they must get a card from the
Department of Motor Vehicles. With this card, they may legally possess
1 ounce of marijuana and seven marijuana plants.

But where does the patient get that 1 ounce? Or the plants? Or the
seeds to grow them?

That's the part the law does not address. So while it is legal for
authorized patients to possess marijuana and use it to alleviate pain,
it remains illegal for them to go out anywhere and acquire it. A month
before the law went into effect, Jim Johnson, a member of the Nevada
Board of Agriculture, said, "We're going into uncharted territory with
this. But let's get it going and see where the problems are."

In our view, access is the only problem. While we oppose legalizing
the recreational use of marijuana, we support medical marijuana.
Prescription pain killers can cost $500 a month or more. In contrast,
marijuana is inexpensive and numerous studies show that it can be
medically effective.

Ten states and the District of Columbia have medical marijuana laws
but they are all wrestling with access issues. The root of the problem
is the federal government, which opposes medical marijuana. While last
year the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a federal appeals court ruling
that doctors cannot be disciplined for prescribing marijuana, states
still remain afraid of federal drug enforcement agents. We believe
Nevada should work with the other states where marijuana is legal, and
the federal government, to find a way to make its law work.