MARIJUANA ADVOCATE HAILS DRUG'S MEDICAL VALUE

George McMahon has a constant supplier of marijuana for as long as he
lives -- and he gets it for free.

The supplier? The federal government.

McMahon is one of five U.S. citizens granted access to medicinal
marijuana by the government. He receives a tin of 300 marijuana
cigarettes each month to deal with Nail Patella Syndrome, a rare
disease that causes muscle spasms and joint degeneration.

"It's good marijuana," he said. "I know it's making me better."

McMahon spoke to about 75 people Monday evening at Kansas University's
Strong Hall. He was invited to campus by Students for Sensible Drug
Policy.

McMahon has smoked about 10 marijuana cigarettes a day legally since
1990, when he was approved for a federal trial testing the use of pot
for medical purposes. Fifteen people received doses of marijuana
through the program, which stopped accepting new participants in the
early 1990s, though only five are still alive.

Five years earlier, McMahon said, he was within days of dying when he
smoked an illegal marijuana cigarette. His health began improving
immediately, he said.

Now, he tours the country advocating the legalization of medicinal
marijuana.

"I still have brothers and sisters (with Nail Patella Syndrome) who
are using prescription drugs and dying," he said. "But look at me."

McMahon said he had never had problems with law enforcement agents
while smoking marijuana, though he said he avoided smoking in public.

McMahon's appearance Monday was without incident. Officials with the
KU Public Safety Office on Friday had threatened to arrest McMahon if
he was found smoking pot on campus.

But Lt. Schuyler Bailey said he spoke with McMahon later that day and
received assurance his smoking would be legal under federal law. The
Public Safety Office didn't send officers to Monday night's lecture.

During his speech, McMahon also sounded off on the conviction of Ed
Rosenthal, a California marijuana advocate who was convicted for
growing medicinal marijuana plants. Rosenthal is represented by Topeka
attorney Bob Eye, who lives in Lawrence.

"I'm pretty angry," McMahon said of the conviction. "That's a pretty
nasty thing to do to someone who's trying to be compassionate."