-------------------------------------------------------------------

Pot Law Backer Shuns Legislative Tinkering (According to the Associated
Press, Dr. Rob Killian of Seattle, who sponsored Washington's voter-approved
law legalizing the medical use of marijuana, said Monday he's wary of
legislative attempts to "clarify" the measure. But state prosecutors are
backing Senate Bill 5771, sponsored by Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, which
would require doctors to notify the state every time they "advise patients to
try marijuana" and allow employers to fire patients if they deemed marijuana
smoking to pose a safety risk or to leave a patient "too stoned to work."
Senate Bill 5704, on the other hand, a supposedly milder bill sponsored by
Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, would prescribe the same amount of medicine for all
patients, nullifying the "60 day supply" clause.)

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 12:01:24 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: US WA: MMJ: Wire: Pot Law Backer Shuns Legislative Tinkering
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: Dave Fratello (amr@lainet.com)
Pubdate: Tue, 23 Feb 1999
Source: Associated Press
Copyright: 1999 Associated Press

POT LAW BACKER SHUNS LEGISLATIVE TINKERING

OLYMPIA -- The Seattle doctor who sponsored Washington's voter-approved law
legalizing the medical use of marijuana said Monday he's wary of legislative
attempts to "clarify" the measure's impact.

Initiative 692, approved by 59 percent of voters in November, allows people
suffering from certain terminal and debilitating illnesses to grow and smoke
pot. Physicians who advise qualifying patients about the risks and benefits
of marijuana use also are protected from prosecution.

But state prosecutors are looking for more guidance.

They're backing a bill in the Senate that would require doctors to notify
the state every time they advise patients to try marijuana. The measure also
would allow employers to fire workers for medically approved marijuana
smoking if it poses a safety risk or leaves them too stoned to work.

Dr. Rob Killian, the physician who sponsored the initiative, said lawmakers
should leave the new law alone, especially since it already faces obstacles
from the federal government.

"It's an outrageous attempt to make this bill less effective in this state,"
Killian said. "It puts a heavier burden on physicians, who are already
nervous about federal restrictions.

"This is a delayed attempt to overturn the will of the people."

Senate Bill 5771, sponsored by Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, has not been
scheduled for a hearing.

Instead, the Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee plans to have a
hearing Wednesday on Senate Bill 5704, a milder proposal that instructs the
state Department of Health to write rules that clarify provisions of the
law.

The agency could use authority granted under SB5704 to determine what
constitutes a 60-day supply of pot, the vague standard outlined in the new
law, said Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, the measure's sponsor.

The Seattle Democrat, an ardent supporter of the new law, also would like
the agency to consider whether a group such as the Green Cross Patient
Co-op, which runs an underground clinic in Seattle that dispenses marijuana
to the sick, can continue its work.

The law allows patients to name a caregiver who can grow or otherwise
provide marijuana for them, but it limits each caregiver to one patient.

Killian predicted that neither measure will pass since state law requires a
two-thirds majority of both houses to amend an initiative within two years
of its approval.

The Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys and the Washington
Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs are the main forces behind the
Hargrove measure.

Law enforcers need more information about who's smoking pot legally and how
much marijuana they can possess, said Larry Erickson, executive director of
the sheriffs and police chiefs group.

"We don't want to interfere with what the people's initiative does,"
Erickson said. "But we think we need to have some guidelines."

The police group prefers the Hargrove measure over the less-restrictive
Kohl-Welles bill, he added.

The Washington State Medical Association recently came up with a
standardized form physicians can use when recommending that patients try
marijuana to relieve suffering. That should clear up one area of concern by
helping doctors feel more comfortable about complying with the law without
getting in trouble with the federal government, Killian said.

A second sticking point, how to distribute the drug, must be resolved by the
federal government, he said.

"I don't think we need to tweak it anymore," Killian said. "Let's give it
some time to work."

Killian said he supports a second measure scheduled to be discussed at
Wednesday's hearing.

Senate Joint Memorial 8005 is a resolution that urges Congress and President
Clinton to move marijuana from the list of controlled substances the federal
government deems to have no medical value to a list of potent drugs that can
be legally prescribed.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Medical Marijuana Sponsors Blast Senate Attempt to Gut I-692 (A press release
from Timothy W. Killian, the campaign manager for Initiative 692, the
Washington state medical marijuana ballot measure approved by voters in
November, criticizes SB 5771, proposed legislation that would allow police to
inspect patients' medical records, require physicians to report to the state
every time they advised a patient about the medical use of marijuana, and
allow employers to fire workers who used medical marijuana with their
doctors' approval.)

Subject: HT: Press Release regarding SB 5771
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 99 13:28:12 -0800
From: YES on 692 (cdpr@eventure.com)
To: "Hemp Talk" (hemp-talk@hemp.net)
Sender: owner-hemp-talk@hemp.net

Medical Marijuana Sponsors Blast Senate Attempt to Gut I-692

'Give the Law A Chance to Work'

SEATTLE, WA (February 23, 1999) - A senate bill proposing to amend
Washington's new medical marijuana law would stifle its implementation,
rather than helping doctors, patients or police, says the sponsor of
Initiative 692.

"We need to give the law a chance to work," said Dr. Rob Killian, primary
sponsor of Initiative 692, in response to Senate Bill 5771, introduced
last week by five state senators. "This is an outrageous attempt to make
the new law less effective," Killian said. "It puts a heavy burden on
physicians already nervous about federal restrictions, and compromises
the privacy of the patient-physician relationship.

"This is a delayed attempt to overturn the overwhelming vote of the
people."

Sponsors of SB 5771 claim the bill would remain true to the intent of the
new law, merely clarifying certain elements. But in reality, SB 5771
proposes changes that will hurt patients. In addition to adding
bureaucratic interference in the patient-physician relationship, it
specifically allows any employer to fire an employee who uses medical
marijuana under their doctor's approval.

Dr. Killian said, "The challenges we face in implementing this new law
come from the Federal Government, which continues to deny patients access
to this medicine. Why add layers of bureaucracy and regulation at the
state level, too?"

SB 5771, currently before the Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee,
was drafted without consultation with supporters of I-692 - and it shows.
The bill requires physicians to report to the state every time they
advise a patient about the medical use of marijuana. Moreover, the bill
would restrict I-692's protections to only those patients who waive
confidentiality of their medical records, specifically giving law
enforcement officials access to this private information.

Dr. Killian continued, "It is simply cruel to impose these burdens on
doctors and patients. This is a not-so-subtle attempt to gut I-692 by
making it totally unattractive for anyone to access its protections."

Finally, SB 5771 would allow employers to fire - at will - any patient
who uses medical marijuana under their doctor's approval. "The sponsors'
hostility to medical marijuana patients is obvious in this provision,"
Dr. Killian states. "I-692 already includes protections for employers,
but they want to add fixes for problems that don't exist. This provision
underscores our position that I-692 should be given the chance to work
before any tinkering or unraveling of the new law is considered."

Initiative 692, the Washington State Medical Marijuana Act, was approved
into law by 59% of voters in the general election held in November of
1998.

Timothy W. Killian

Campaign Manager
Initiative 692

Washington Citizens for Medical Rights

***

em: cdpr@eventure.com
url: http://www.eventure.com/I692

***

Postal Box 2346
Seattle, WA 98111
ph: 206.781-7716
fx: 206.324.3101

***

Subject: HT: What's wrong with SB 5771
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 99 13:29:38 -0800
From: YES on 692 (cdpr@eventure.com)
To: "Hemp Talk" (hemp-talk@hemp.net)
Sender: owner-hemp-talk@hemp.net

What's Wrong With Senate Bill 5771:

It restricts patients' rights under I-692

Initiative 692 permits patients to prove in court that they are seriously
ill and that a physician has recommended that they try marijuana. SB 5771
restricts this right to only those patients who waive the confidentiality
of their personal medical information, and whose doctors file special new
forms with the state.

It allows patients to be fired from their jobs

Initiative 692 already contains safeguards for employers. Yet, SB 5771
seeks to allow any employer to fire any employee with a terminal or
debilitating illness for using medical marijuana under their doctor's
approval. This section of the proposed bill betrays the sponsors true
intent and lack of compassion towards patients.

It puts too heavy a burden on physicians

Washington physicians are already leery of federal government
interference with their right to recommend marijuana to patients. SB 5771
requires physicians to notify the state in writing every time they advise
a patient to try marijuana as a medicine. This bill also demands that
physicians collect personal information on patients and their caregivers.

It makes confidential patient information available to police

SB 5771 requires that all information on patients and doctors involved
with medical use of marijuana be turned over to law enforcement agencies
"upon request." This provision invites harassment and abuse of both
patients and physicians, and could put the state government in a position
of turning doctors in for federal prosecution.

It adds unnecessary bureaucracy

Unlike I-692, SB 5771 requires a state agency, the Medical Quality
Assurance Board, to distribute and collect forms logging each medical
marijuana recommendation made by a physician in Washington. It is unknown
how much this activity will cost, but SB 5771 is clear about the purpose:
this information is meant to be a database for law enforcement
investigations of doctors and patients.

The bottom line is:

SB 5771 will make it impossible for I-692 to work

When voters approved Initiative 692 by an overwhelming margin in 1998*,
they believed this would begin a new era of compassionate care in
Washington. But some law enforcement agencies want to turn back the clock
and make it as difficult as possible for patients and doctors to utilize
marijuana as a medicine. That's what SB 5771 is all about - regulating
and intimidating doctors and patients so severely that they will not take
advantage of Initiative 692, our new state law.

Before I-692 has even had a chance to work, SB 5771 is an attempt to
thwart the clearly expressed will of the voters of Washington.

* The final vote margin on I-692 was 59% yes, 41% no (1,121,851 to
780,631).

Timothy W. Killian

Campaign Manager
Initiative 692

Washington Citizens for Medical Rights

***

em: cdpr@eventure.com
url: http://www.eventure.com/I692

***

Postal Box 2346
Seattle, WA 98111
ph: 206.781-7716
fx: 206.324.3101

***

hemp-talk - hemp-talk@hemp.net is a discussion/information
list about hemp politics in Washington State. To unsubscribe, send
e-mail to majordomo@hemp.net with the text "unsubscribe hemp-talk".
For more details see http://www.hemp.net/lists.html

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Court Refuses to Return Kubbys' Office Equipment (A list subscriber forwards
a message from a friend of Steve Kubby, the medical-marijuana
patient/activist and 1998 Libertarian candidate for California governor.
Steve and Michele Kubby attended their first preliminary hearing Monday at
the Tahoe City Justice Court regarding their bust for marijuana cultivation.
Although it's been over a month now and no evidence of sales has been shown,
Judge James Garbolina ruled that the Kubbys should still be denied the use of
their office equipment and the tools they need to manage their magazine,
'Alpine World.' As a result, the Kubbys have been forced into bankruptcy and
presented a letter to Judge Garbolina from their bankruptcy attorney directly
blaming the raid on the Kubbys for their financial difficulties. Attorneys
for the Kubbys continue to demand the return of their medical marijuana and
have submitted two letters from physicians which argue that Steve may die if
denied medical marijuana.)

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 07:38:01 -0800
From: Tim Perkins (tperkins@pacbell.net)
Organization: Cannabis Freedom Fund
To: Friends (friends@freecannabis.org), DPFCA (dpfca@drugsense.org)
Subject: DPFCA: Court Refuses to Return Kubby's Office Equipment
Forcing Bankruptcy
Sender: owner-dpfca@drugsense.org
Organization: DrugSense http://www.drugsense.org/dpfca/

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 07:28:42 -0800
From: "Charles P. Conrad" (cpconrad@twow.com)
February 23, 1999

Court Refuses to Return Kubby's Office Equipment Forcing Bankruptcy

(TAHOE CITY, CA.) The Kubbys attended their first preliminary hearing on
Monday at the Tahoe City Justice Court. Although it's been over a month
now and no evidence of sales has been shown, Judge James Garbolina ruled
that the Kubbys should still be denied the use of their office equipment
or the tools they need to manage their magazine, 'Alpine World.' As a
result, the Kubbys have been forced into bankruptcy and presented a
letter to Judge Garbolina from their bankruptcy attorney directly
blaming the raid on the Kubbys for their financial difficulties.

Judge Garbolina refused to release critical business items such as
printers, scanners, or digital camera, allowing only for the Kubbys to
obtain a copy of the contents of their hard drives. According to Steve
Kubby, "Our magazine was rated in the top 25 electronic magazines in the
world and we had top advertisers. Now we have been ruined and forced
out of business."

The next hearing for the Kubbys is scheduled for March 2nd. Attorneys
for the Kubbys continue to demand the return of their medical marijuana
and have submitted two letters from physicians which argue that Steve
may die if denied medical marijuana. Steve and Michele have experienced
numerous hardship in trying to obtain enough medicine for Steve to stay
alive and their attorneys emphasized to the court the seriousness of
this situation.

Deputy District Attorney, Christopher Cattran dismissed the physician
letters and insisted that Mr. Kubby's medical marijuana should not be
returned. Although Mr. Cattran is unable to provide even one instance
of sales occurring, Cattran continues to insist that criminal activity
has taken place, purely on the basis that number of plants was too
great for personal use.

After some discussion of why Marinol would not be acceptable alternative
for Mr. Kubby, Judge Garbolina agreed to consider a written motion to
return some of the confiscated medical marijuana. That motion will be
considered on March 2, at their next preliminary hearing.

The Kubbys will be traveling to Southern California from March 3-13 in
order for Steve to undergo test with Dr. Vincent DeQuattro at the USC
medical center. The Kubbys will also be making personal appearances for
media and fund raising.

***

KUBBY LEGAL DEFENSE FUND

c/o Dale Wood Attorney at Law
10833 Donner Pass Road
Truckee, CA 96161
(530) 587-3450

Alternately credit card contributions can be made on line at
http://www.drugsense.org/donate.htm

Be sure to note KUBBY LEGAL DEFENSE FUND in the message box.

DrugSense will act as the intermediary and forward your donation

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Montana's Industrial Hemp Resolution (A list subscriber posts the text of
HR 0002, a resolution passed 95-4 today by the Montana House of
Representatives, which asks the federal government to repeal restrictions on
industrial hemp production.)

Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 16:56:18 -0800
To: restore@crrh.org
From: "D. Paul Stanford" (stanford@crrh.org)
From: "CRRH mailing list" (restore@crrh.org)
Subject: Montana's Industrial Hemp Resolution

Montana's House of Representatives has passed a resolution requesting the
Federal Government to repeal restrictions on the production of industrial
hemp as an agricultural and industrial product. The resolution passed 95 to
4 and is now law.

***

Tuesday, February 23, 1999

WHEREAS, agriculture is the largest source of income for Montanans; and

WHEREAS, a devastating drop in prices for agricultural products is
threatening the survival of Montana farm families; and

WHEREAS, it is a current major economic goal to diversify the agriculture of
Montana; and

WHEREAS, although industrial hemp is often mistakenly associated with
marijuana, it is a different plant, with little or no tetrahydrocannabinol or
narcotic properties, so Montana farmers should not be prohibited from
expanding agricultural practices to the growing of industrial hemp; and

WHEREAS, in over 30 countries, including Canada, England, France, Germany,
Japan, and Australia, existing international treaties provide for the
agricultural production and sale of industrial hemp as a valuable
agricultural product; and

WHEREAS, industrial hemp has been used in the manufacture of paper, paints,
clothing, plastics, cosmetics, food, fuel, and animal feed and can grow to
maturity in 100 days without the necessity of pesticides; and

WHEREAS, current United States federal policy prevents the American
agricultural production of industrial hemp while foreign hemp is being
imported, at a loss of millions of dollars to American farm families; and

WHEREAS, current federal policy is inconsistent with international
agricultural policy and places an unnecessary financial restriction on the
Montana agricultural community.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE
OF MONTANA:

That the House of Representative of the State of Montana urge the federal
government to repeal restrictions on the production of industrial hemp as an
agricultural and industrial product.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Secretary of State send a copy of this
resolution to all appropriate federal agencies that have authority over the
current policy prohibiting the production of industrial hemp.

				- END -

I hereby certify that the within resolution, HR 0002, originated in the House.

***

NOTE: Visit Montana state's internet site for further details at
http://161.7.127.14/bills/billhtml/HR0002.htm

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Drug, Alcohol Abuse Up Among Teens (UPI says a survey of 158,324 students in
grades seven through 12 released by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug
Abuse shows more than a third said they had used "drugs" at some point in
their lives, and 72 percent had used alcohol - suggesting the news service
and about 40 percent of Texas secondary school students don't realize alcohol
is a drug. About 10 percent of secondary students said they had attended
class while drunk during the past year, while 13 percent said they had
attended class high on marijuana. Seventh, eighth and ninth graders showed
modest declines in marijuana use.)

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 19:05:49 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: US TX: Wire: Drug, Alcohol Abuse Up Among Teens
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: General Pulaski
Pubdate: Tue, 23 Feb 1999
Source: United Press International
Copyright: 1999 United Press International

DRUG, ALCOHOL ABUSE UP AMONG TEENS

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 23 (UPI) - More than one third of secondary school
students in Texas say they have used drugs at some point in their lives, and
72 percent have used alcohol, according to a survey released by the Texas
Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

The survey, which has tracked alcohol and drug use among Texas students for
a decade, also found a steady decline in the number of students who said
they received drug education at school.

Jane Maxwell, the agency's chief researcher, said today the survey
reinforces the need for parents to talk to their children about drugs.

She says: ``Average age of first use of alcohol and inhalants is about 12.
But we find that most parents don't begin talking to their kids about drugs
and alcohol until their kids are in high school. Those talks should start
much earlier.''

The survey of 158,324 students in grades seven through 12 found that more
than one third had used drugs as some point in their lives and a whopping 72
percent had consumed alcohol.

The survey also found:

-Cocaine use increasing among teens, with 9.3 percent of secondary students
saying they had used the drug - a 5 percent increase since 1992.

-Alcohol and tobacco use has remained steady for the past four years, but 52
percent of seniors saying they had drank alcohol in the past month and 36
percent saying they had used tobacco.

-About 10 percent of secondary students said they had attended class while
drunk during the past year, while 13 percent said they had attended classes
while high on marijuana at least one.

Maxwell says there was one hopeful sign in the survey - modest declines in
the past-month use of marijuana use among seventh, eighth and ninth graders.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Marijuana Has Therapeutic Uses (An op-ed in the Kansas City Star by Paul
Armentano of NORML says the best established medical use of smoked marijuana
is as an anti-nauseant for cancer chemotherapy. During the 1980s, researchers
in six different state-sponsored clinical studies involving nearly 1,000
patients determined smoked marijuana to be an effective anti-emetic.)

Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 06:16:32 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: US KS: Marijuana Has Therapeutic Uses
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: General Pulaski
Pubdate: Tue, 23 Feb 1999
Source: Kansas City Star (KS)
Contact: letters@kcstar.com
Website: http://www.kcstar.com/
Author: Paul Armentano

MARIJUANA HAS THERAPEUTIC USES

Marijuana has therapeutic uses; the law should reflect that Missouri
and other states should protect patients from prosecution

Federal authorities should rescind their prohibition of the medical
use of marijuana for seriously ill patients and allow physicians to
decide which patients to treat. The government should change
marijuana's status from that of a Schedule I (prohibited) drug ...
to that of a Schedule II drug ... and regulate accordingly.

- Dr. Jerome Kassirer, editor, New England Journal of Medicine, Jan.
30, 1997

It is clear from available studies and rapidly accumulating anecdotal
evidence that marijuana is therapeutic in the treatment of a number of
serious ailments and is less toxic and costly than many conventional
medicines for which it may be substituted. In many cases, marijuana
appears more effective than the commercially available drugs it replaces.

The best established medical use of smoked marijuana is as an
anti-nauseant for cancer chemotherapy. During the 1980s, researchers
in six different state-sponsored clinical studies involving nearly
1,000 patients determined smoked marijuana to be an effective
anti-emetic.

For the majority of these patients, smoked marijuana proved more
effective than both conventional prescription anti-nauseants and oral
THC (marketed today as the synthetic pill, Marinol).

Scientific and anecdotal evidence also suggests that marijuana reduces
pain and suffering in other serious ailments. For example, it
alleviates the nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite experienced by
many AIDS patients.

Furthermore, the National Academy of Sciences and others suggest that
marijuana reduces intraocular pressure in patients suffering from
glaucoma, the leading cause of blindness in the United States.

Clinical and anecdotal evidence also points to the effectiveness of
marijuana as a therapeutic agent in a variety of spastic conditions
such as multiple sclerosis, paraplegia, epilepsy and quadriplegia.
Animal studies and carefully controlled human studies support
marijuana's ability to suppress convulsions.

Many patients and older Americans use marijuana therapeutically to
control chronic pain. Recent studies performed by researchers at the
University of San Francisco and elsewhere demonstrate that compounds
in marijuana modulate pain signals in much the same way as morphine
and other opiates.

Between 1978 and 1996, legislatures in 34 states and the District of
Columbia passed laws recognizing marijuana's therapeutic value.
Twenty-five of these laws remain in effect. The Missouri General
Assembly passed a Senate Concurrent Resolution in 1994 calling on the
federal government to end ``prohibitions against the legitimate and
appropriate use of marijuana in medical treatments.''

Voters in Alaska, Oregon, Nevada and Washington have adopted
initiatives exempting patients who use marijuana under a physician's
supervision from state criminal penalties. Arizona and California have
passed similar initiatives.

These laws do not legalize marijuana or alter criminal penalties
regarding the possession or cultivation of marijuana for recreational
use. Nor do they establish a legal supply for patients to obtain the
drug. They merely provide a narrow exemption from prosecution for
defined patients who use marijuana with their doctor's
recommendation.

Until Congress amends federal law to legalize prescriptive access to
marijuana, Missouri and other states have an obligation to protect
patients using medical marijuana from state criminal
prosecution.

Paul Armentano is the publications director for the National
Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) in Washington,
D.C.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Pot Smoker To Disregard Sentence (According to the Halifax Herald, in Nova
Scotia, Mark Crossley, a terminally ill cancer patient in Noel, says he'll
keep on smoking marijuana despite a conviction Monday on cultivation charges.
He was handed a four-month sentence to be served at home, followed by 18
months' probation.)

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 18:16:14 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: Canada: Pot Smoker To Disregard Sentence
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: creator@mapinc.org
Pubdate: Tue, 23 Feb 1999
Source: Halifax Herald (Canada)
Copyright: 1999 The Halifax Herald Limited
Contact: letters@herald.ns.ca
Website: http://www.herald.ns.ca/
Author: Steve Maich / Truro Bureau

POT SMOKER TO DISREGARD SENTENCE

Shubenacadie - A terminally ill cancer patient from Hants County says he'll
keep on smoking marijuana to ease the pain of his condition despite a
conviction Monday on drug charges.

Mark Crossley, 38, of Noel, pleaded guilty in Shubenacadie provincial court
to growing marijuana for personal use. He was handed a four-month sentence
to be served at home, followed by 18 months of probation.

The Crown dropped an additional charge of drug possession for the purpose of
trafficking in exchange for Mr. Crossley's guilty plea on the cultivation
charge.

In 1997, Mr. Crossley was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. The
former steel fabricator, who is married with three children, has been unable
to work for nearly two years. The tumour has caused him to suffer
debilitating seizures, headaches and mood swings, said his lawyer, Brian
English.

Under the conditions of his sentence, Mr. Crossley must not cultivate or
possess marijuana, but he says he'll continue to use the drug as long as it
provides relief from his pain and anxiety.

"It's the only thing that controls the headaches, and as long as my tumour
stays the same size, I'm going to keep smoking,"

Mr. Crossley said outside the courtroom. "Depending on how my head feels, I
smoke three to eight joints a day, and I wish I could have one right now."

Several high-profile cases across Canada have sought to overturn Canada's
current drug laws on the basis that they contravene the Canadian Charter of
Rights and Freedoms. None has been successful, but the Medicinal Marijuana
Club, based in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, continues to disregard
drug laws and distribute marijuana to seriously ill patients.

"The problem is that our current laws don't recognize the medicinal use and
benefits of marijuana as a treatment for terminally ill patients," Mr.
English said. "Under the circumstances, this sentence seems reasonable, but
... the medical community needs to get involved and ask for amendments to
the laws to provide for the use of marijuana in cases like these."

Mr. Crossley is also required to perform 120 hours of community service as
part of his sentence. Mr. English argued that his client may be too ill to
meet that obligation, but Judge John MacDougall said there are many
non-strenuous activities Mr. Crossley could perform.

"Perhaps he could help an elderly person cultivate a garden, since he seems
to have a green thumb," Judge MacDougall said.

But Mr. Crossley wasn't in a joking mood after court. As he was leaving the
courtroom, he turned and shouted angrily in the direction of Judge
MacDougall and prosecutor Linda Hupman.

"None of you understand," he yelled. "You can't make decisions about my
health. I'm the one that's sick, not you."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Cancer Patient Convicted (The Toronto Star version)

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 16:38:57 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: Canada: Cancer Patient Convicted
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: Dave Haans
Pubdate: Tuesday, February 23, 1999
Source: Toronto Star (Canada)
Copyright: 1999, The Toronto Star
Contact: lettertoed@thestar.com
Website: http://www.thestar.com/

Nova Scotia

CANCER PATIENT CONVICTED

A terminally ill cancer patient says he'll keep on smoking marijuana to
ease his pain, despite being convicted yesterday of drug charges. Mark
Crossley, 38, of Noel, N.S., pleaded guilty in provincial court to growing
marijuana for his personal use. He was given a four-month sentence to be
served at home, followed by 18 months probation. Crossley was also ordered
to perform 120 hours of community service.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Freeh Advice On Drugs: Inject Money And Political Will (According to the
Sydney Morning Herald's New York correspondent, Louis Freeh, the director of
the Federal Bureau of Investigation, says the war on some drug users requires
two key ingredients - an abundance of funding and an equally generous amount
of political will. Australian Prime Minister John Howard may not like Freeh's
message. Money and bravery are the two commodities most governments find
hardest to provide.)

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 06:42:26 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: Australia: Freeh Advice On Drugs: Inject Money And Political
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: Russell.Ken.KW@bhp.com.au (Russell, Ken KW)
Pubdate: Tue, 23 Feb 1999
Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Contact: letters@smh.fairfax.com.au
Website: http://www.smh.com.au/
Author: Mark Riley, Herald Correspondent in New York

FREEH ADVICE ON DRUGS: INJECT MONEY AND POLITICAL WILL

John Howard may not like everything the director of the FBI, Louis Freeh,
has to tell him about how to win the war on drugs.

In Mr Freeh's thinking, that fight requires two key ingredients - an
abundance of funding and an equally generous amount of political will.

Money and bravery: the two commodities governments find hardest to provide.

Mr Freeh believes that to make a real dent in the trafficking of heroin,
cocaine and other illicit substances, governments have to take a tough
political stance, empowering their law enforcement bodies to deal
adequately with the threat.

In the five years since Mr Freeh took over the top job at the FBI, he has
managed to attract considerable funding increases, resulting in the
employment of 3,200 extra agents. His record on encouraging the necessary
political fortitude to tackle the drug scourge has not been as good.

Mr Freeh put a plan to the Clinton Administration about two years ago to
centralise the investigation of drug crime under his umbrella and that of
the Drug Enforcement Agency to ensure a more co-ordinated approach.

He let his frustration be known when Mr Clinton soon after appointed
General Barry McCaffrey as the nation's so-called "drug tsar", but gave him
no powers of arrest.

The move was seen as transparently political, a PR stunt, which prompted Mr
Freeh to complain that the greatest thing holding back the US in its attack
on drugs was the lack of "any true leadership" on the issue - comments that
stung the President.

That controversy, however, did result in a raft of agreements with Central
American countries to stem the flow of cocaine and heroin into the US.

Mr Freeh places a heavy emphasis on co-ordination and co-operation between
law enforcement bodies in pursuit of drug targets and the responsibilities
of governments to intervene with social programs that might help users
avoid much heavier punitive action down the line.

"Although the FBI is an agency responsible for the enforcement of the law,
we also have a great interest and concern in things such as the causes of
crime - including drug use, which destroys so many lives and leads to so
much crime," he said in a recent speech.

He has made no public comment on heroin trials but is a supporter of the
drug court system, which is operating strongly across the US and is being
given a trial in NSW. That system places drug offenders in enforced and
sometimes institutionalised rehabilitation, deferring sentences as long as
the participant complies with the program.

Mr Howard can rest assured that Louis Freeh has a highly developed
political radar. He worked for five years at the US Attorney's office in
Manhattan under Rudolph Giuliani before he became Mayor of New York.

There is also talk that Mr Freeh may be approached to seek Republican
nomination to replace Mr Giuliani if the mayor decides to run for the same
New York Senate seat that the President's wife is eyeing off.

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Churches Join Drug Trial Call (According to the Age, in Melbourne, Australia,
the leaders of Melbourne's Anglican Church and Uniting Church joined the call
yesterday for a heroin-maintenance trial, saying their welfare agencies had
noticed an alarming increase in drug use and a drop in the age of drug
users.)

Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 19:16:30 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: Australia: Churches Join Drug Trial Call
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: Russell.Ken.KW@bhp.com.au (Russell, Ken KW)
Pubdate: 23 Feb 1999
Source: Age, The (Australia)
Copyright: 1999 David Syme & Co Ltd
Contact: letters@theage.fairfax.com.au
Website: http://www.theage.com.au/
Author: Darren Gray

CHURCHES JOIN DRUG TRIAL CALL

Melbourne church leaders joined the call for a heroin trial yesterday,
saying their welfare agencies had noticed an alarming increase in drug use
and a drop in the age of drug users.

The Anglican Church yesterday revealed its support for a heroin trial, and
a senior member of the Uniting Church called for a heroin trial and clean
injecting rooms for heroin addicts.

Ms Colleen Pearce, the director of Uniting Church community services,
called on the Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, to reassess his staunch
opposition to a medically prescribed heroin trial.

``I believe he needs to listen to the voices of the people who are dealing
with this issue on a day-to-day basis,'' she said.

Although present strategies were working, they were not meeting everybody's
needs, said Ms Pearce, who headed the church's drug and alcohol
rehabilitation centre for seven years.

The Reverend Ray Cleary, the chairman of the Anglican social
responsibilities committee, said a heroin trial was needed because addicts
most at risk of overdosing were not being reached by treatment services and
outreach programs.

Also, increases in heroin purity in recent years and variability meant
addicts were even more vulnerable to a fatal overdose, he said.

``We are not at the present time stopping young people in particular from
overdosing on heroin,'' Mr Cleary said.

``I think we are in a fairly desperate stage of trying to find what
alternatives we need to address the present crisis.''

Ms Pearce said data from overseas suggested that clean injecting rooms
reduced drug deaths and the transmission of blood-borne viruses such as
hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV.

They also provided a gateway to rehabilitation and counselling services,
and freed ambulance services for other emergencies, she said.

Mr Cleary said the Anglican Church had not developed a policy on clean
injecting rooms. He said a heroin trial would need to be carefully evaluated.

The Catholic Church, however, is unconvinced about the worth of a heroin
trial.

A spokesman for the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, Dr Michael Casey,
said: ``The Catholic Church in Melbourne is very keen to do more in this
area, but we think that the evidence worldwide supports the Prime Minister.''

The Metropolitan Ambulance Service yesterday attended eight suspected
heroin overdoses in the city and suburbs between 7am and 6pm. None was
fatal, and most occurred in the afternoon.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

U.N. Seeks Medical Marijuana Study (The Associated Press says the annual
report released today in Vienna by the International Drug Control Board,
a 13-member, quasi-judicial organization overseeing U.N. drug treaties,
recommends ending the politicized debate over medical marijuana by conducting
in-depth and impartial scientific research into its possible benefits. "Only
scientific evidence can end the current debate.")

From: "Peter McWilliams" (peter@mcwilliams.com)
Subject: DPFCA: U.N. Seeks Medical Marijuana Study
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 15:38:32 -0800
Sender: owner-dpfca@drugsense.org
Reply-To: "Peter McWilliams" (peter@mcwilliams.com)
Organization: DrugSense http://www.drugsense.org/dpfca/

U.N. Seeks Medical Marijuana Study

.c The Associated Press

By NICOLE WINFIELD

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- A U.N. report recommends ending the politicized
debate over using marijuana for medical needs by conducting in-depth and
impartial scientific research into its possible benefits for some patients.

The report, released today by the International Drug Control Board, doesn't
call for the legalization of marijuana or advocate loosening controls over
its use, said board member Herbert S. Okun of the United States.

It calls instead for serious research in the public and private sector to
determine whether there are medicinal benefits for marijuana.

Only scientific evidence can end the current debate which is ``characterized
by ignorance, by emotion, by propaganda on all sides -- or at least
certainly on the extremes of both sides,'' Okun told a news conference
Monday to launch the report.

The recommendation is highlighted in the annual report of the Vienna-based
board, which is a 13-member, quasi-judicial organization overseeing U.N.
drug treaties.

Among the other findings, the report said Europeans are the world's top
users of stress-reducing drugs, while Americans hold the record for
consuming the most performance-enhancing substances.

While the reasons for such a disparity weren't known, Okun said it may lie
in cultural, lifestyle and other forces.

The aging European population has access to more extensive health care
systems, which may be more willing to prescribe drugs to reduce aches and
pains, he noted.

The high use of performance-enhancing drugs in the Americas may be at least
partly explained by the prevalent sense of competition there, the report
indicated.

In particular, Okun said the board was concerned about over-prescription in
the United States of methylphenidate, sold as the drug Ritalin, to treat
children with attention deficit disorder.

American patients are consuming 330 million daily doses of the substance
compared to 65 million for patients in the rest of the world, the report
found.

The agency also warned that more and more North Americans are smoking heroin
and said Europe has emerged as a producer of cannabis and synthetic drugs.
Cannabis continues to be the most commonly abused drug in the United States,
Canada and Mexico.

The report expressed concern about the prevalence of do-it-yourself guides
on the Internet, which teach users how to prepare certain illegal
substances.

And it repeated its concern that painkillers such as morphine are
increasingly hard to come by in the developing world, though they are widely
available in the industrialized world -- about 100 times more available in
the world's top 20 industrialized countries than in the bottom 20.

The board, whose mission is to ensure the legal availability of drugs for
medical purposes, is launching a campaign called ``Freedom From Pain'' to
make such drugs more available in the developing world.

AP-NY-02-23-99 0433EST

Copyright 1998 The Associated Press.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Canada contributing to global drug trade (The National Post, in Canada, says
a report issued today by the International Narcotics Control Board, a
13-member United Nations organization based in Vienna, criticizes Canada for
its effort in the war on some drug users. The annual global survey for 1998
said the chief problem is a sharp increase in potent, high-quality cannabis
being produced in British Columbia. The yearend roundup also criticizes the
Canadian and U.S. governments for failing to tackle the problem of
drug-promoting Web sites.)

From: creator@islandnet.com (Matt Elrod)
To: mattalk@listserv.islandnet.com
Subject: Canada contributing to global drug trade (fwd)
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 10:45:13 -0800
Lines: 99
Newshawk: "chuck beyer" (videomon@coolcom.com)
Pubdate: Tuesday, February 23, 1999
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: Southam Inc.
Contact: letters@nationalpost.com
Website: http://www.nationalpost.com/
Forum: http://forums.canada.com/~canada
Copyright: Southam Inc. All rights reserved.
Author: Jonathan Gatehouse

CANADA CONTRIBUTING TO GLOBAL DRUG TRADE.

UN body says B.C. marijuana: Drug-promoting Web sites also a growing
problem

Canada is making significant contributions to the growing worldwide
trade in illicit drugs, says a report by the International Narcotics
Control Board.

The 13-member UN body, which today issued its annual global survey for
1998, found several reasons to give Canada a less than glowing review
for its part in the war on drugs.

Chief among them is the sharp increase in potent, high-quality pot
being produced in British Columbia basements and sheds.

"Indoor cannabis cultivation has increased significantly in Canada,"
the report concludes. "Seizure data indicates the movement of illicit
cannabis with a high THC content from the province of British Columbia
to the United States."

The yearend roundup also criticizes the Canadian and U.S. governments
for failing to tackle the problem of drug-promoting Web sites.

"Online do-it-yourself guides that enable their readers to prepare and
abuse controlled substances continue to proliferate on the Internet,"
the authors write. "While the problem is not confined to North
America, many of the home pages are located on servers in Canada and
the United States."

Other Canadian problems identified by the report include the
increasing purity of heroin available on big city streets and the
growing number of young people smoking the opium derivative.

The board does offer some kudos to Canada, noting the government has
introduced legislation to beef-up existing laws against money
laundering by requiring banks to report suspicious transactions to the
authorities.

However, the report urges Canadian legislators to bring domestic
regulations on the sale of chemicals that can be used in the
manufacture of illicit drugs up to international standards.

The Vienna-based organization also identifies an increasing worldwide
problem with benzodiazepines, or stress-reducing drugs. While
Europeans use more of the prescription drugs than anyone else, the
board is disturbed by the trend towards their use in children.

It expresses particular concern that "American culture and its
drug-taking behaviour have had a strong influence on other regions."
It notes, with dismay, the rapid growth of prescriptions for
methylphenidate in Australia, Canada, and several European countries.
The antidepressant is commonly used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder.

The board notes Canada has yet to revamp its regulations concerning
that class of drugs to bring them into step with international norms.

"The board urges the government to promulgate those regulations
without delay," the report says.

RELATED SITES

International Narcotics Control Board The North American section of
the international report. http://www.incb.org/e/ar/1998/chp3.htm#IIIB2
Sanctimonious busybodies, we say.

Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse http://www.ccsa.ca/ Created by an
Act of Parliament in 1988 to provide a national focus for Canadian
efforts to reduce or eliminate the harm associated with the use of
alcohol and other drugs.

Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
http://canada.justice.gc.ca/FTP/EN/Laws/Chap/C/C-38.8.txt
Canada's statute C-38.8, assented to June 20, 1996.

CCSA: A Commentary on the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
http://www.ccsa.ca/c-7.htm A palliative look at Canada's drug laws.
Stands in opposition to the INCB's annual report.

New Scientist http://marijuana.newscientist.com/ An issues forum that
makes a general call for advocates, detractors, and legislators to use
reason when talking about cannibis.

The Friendly Stranger http://www.friendlystranger.com/ A Toronto
"cannabis culture shop" dedicated to restoring "cannabis to its
rightful place in society: a substance that is recognized as far less
harmful and definitely more socially acceptable than alcohol or tobacco."

Cannabis Culture http://www.cannabisculture.com/ The web site for
Canada's leading marijuana magazine.