HOUSE OKS MEDICAL MARIJUANA; SENATE MAY NOT

MONTPELIER - Vermonters suffering from debilitating diseases, such as
cancer or AIDS, could treat some of the symptoms with marijuana under a
bill that won final approval in the House on Friday.

Although the House stopped short of legalizing marijuana, it did decide on
an 82-59 roll-call vote to exempt from prosecution anyone who uses the drug
after obtaining a certificate from a doctor authorizing its use.

"I do not condone the recreational use of marijuana," Rep. Allen Palmer,
R-Pownal, said after a second day of sometimes emotional debate. "I'm
voting for this bill because I think it's going to do good for a few people
who really need it."

The bill's prospects in the Sen-ate are uncertain, even though a number of
influential senators have said they were open to the idea of medical
marijuana. Gov. Howard Dean, who strongly op-poses it, has suggested he
would pressure some of his allies in the Senate to block the bill.

Dean has hinted that he would veto the proposal if it reached him.

A number of lawmakers who otherwise frequently vote against the Democratic
governor fought hard but unsuccessfully to kill the bill in the House.

"What kind of message is this we're sending to our children and, as far as
that goes, to the United States?" said Rep. Loren Shaw, R- Derby. "We're
lawmakers and we're supposed to be making the law, not breaking the law.
And here we are breaking federal law."

The proposal would permit people with medical certificates to maintain a
supply of no more than three mature plants, four immature plants or three
ounces of usable marijuana.

People suffering from cancer, glaucoma, AIDS or diseases that cause wasting
syndrome, severe pain or nausea, seizures, or persistent muscle spasms
would be eligible to get a medical certificate from a physician declaring
that marijuana would relieve the symptoms.

Those marijuana users would be exempt from criminal and civil penalties and
physicians issuing certificates would be protected against state sanctions.

There was widespread concern that, although the intent of the bill was to
help people who are seriously ill, enacting the proposal was an attempt to
decriminalize marijuana altogether.

"This is not just for medical use," said Rep. Henry Gray, R-Barre. "I think
they want this bill passed so they can use it for recreational purposes.
There are some in this House or some in this area who want pot on every table."

Proponents denied that was their intent.

and the House did agree to conduct a study about how the use of medical
marijuana helped those who used it and whether it caused more illegal drug
use. And lawmakers also agreed to make the law effective only through 2006.

Supporters of allowing the law to expire in four years said by that time
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration might authorize medical