NEARLY 60 GET OK FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA

CARSON CITY -- A new Nevada law has enabled 57 people with serious
illnesses to get licenses to use medical marijuana. Nine others have
been licensed as caregivers.

There was an initial flood of applications when the program started
Oct. 1. But Cecile Crofoot of the Agriculture Department, which
oversees the program, said applications have tapered off.

Crofoot said she mails out about five information packets a day,
adding that the program seems to be working smoothly.

Her office has mailed out 687 packets to individuals, but only about
10 percent return applications. Crofoot thinks many drop the idea
when they learn the program is controlled to prevent drug abusers
from getting a card.

"Most of the druggies give up," she said.

The Nevada law allows people suffering from specific chronic and
debilitating diseases such as AIDS, cancer and glaucoma to register
with the state.

They get a registry card that exempts them from state prosecution for
possession and use of small amounts of marijuana.

Their names are confidential, as are the names of the doctors who
signed letters qualifying them for the registry cards.

There's no guarantee the medical marijuana users won't face federal
prosecution, but Crofoot said federal drug agents have shown little
interest in Nevada's program thus far.

Nevada law lets medical marijuana users grow their own plants, with
assistance from licensed caregivers -- typically spouses or partners.

The program is modeled after one operating for several years in Oregon.