CANCER PATIENT AWAITS TRIAL IN MARIJUANA CASE

CINCINNATI - Carter Singleton says he was weak and lost 80 pounds in
five months from cancer when he followed a friend's advice to smoke
marijuana, which helped him get back his appetite and gain weight.

Now, Singleton is awaiting trial on a felony charge of growing
marijuana -- which he admits he grew in his basement for personal use.
If convicted, the 65-year-old could go to prison for one to five years
or be placed on probation.

"Carter is not the type of person to intentionally violate the law,
but he was desperate," said his lawyer, Larry Keller.

Singleton has a clean record except two speeding tickets, Keller said.
The suburban Mount Healthy man is free on bond pending a Nov. 17
pretrial hearing, when a date could be set for his trial in Hamilton
County Common Pleas Court.

A debate has raged for years in this country about whether marijuana
should be legalized for medical use by patients.

Nine states have laws legalizing marijuana for people with physician
recommendations or prescriptions: Alaska, Arizona, California,
Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. And 35 states
have passed legislation recognizing the drug's medicinal value. But
federal law bans the use of marijuana under any circumstances.

It is illegal to grow or use the drug in Ohio.