MEDICAL MARIJUANA WINS AT POLLS

Voters in Arizona, Nevada and the state of Washington said ``Yes'' to
medical use of marijuana Tuesday, while election officials in the
District of Columbia said ``Shhh.''

Officials in the nation's capital decided not to release results of
the medical marijuana vote there, under pressure from a disapproving
Capitol Hill.

Alaska and Oregon also considered medical marijuana measures.
Supporters of such measures say smoking marijuana can ease pain,
restore appetite, reduce eye pressure in cases of glaucoma, and quell
nausea from cancer chemotherapy.

Nevada voters amended the state constitution to let patients with
catastrophic illnesses get marijuana prescriptions. The measure must
be approved by voters again in 2000 before it can take effect, but
even then, the state attorney general's office has vowed it will not
be implemented until federal law is changed.

The amendment would allow patients with illnesses such as cancer, AIDS
and glaucoma to use marijuana.

The Washington state measure says patients with certain terminal and
debilitating illnesses, or their care-givers, may grow and possess a
60-day supply of marijuana. The exact amount isn't specified.

Physicians who advise qualifying patients about the risks and benefits
of marijuana use are protected from prosecution.

Arizona voters cleared the way -- for a second time -- to let doctors
prescribe marijuana and some other illicit drugs for seriously ill
patients.

Two years ago, Arizona voters overwhelming approved a measure that
made prescribing marijuana and 115 other ``Schedule 1'' narcotics
legal, if two doctors agreed to the presciption. Schedule 1 drugs are
deemed by the federal government to be highly addictive and of no
medicinal value.

On Tuesday, voters rejected a legislative requirement that marijuana
be approved by the Food and Drug Administration or Congress before all
the drugs would be eligible for prescription.

District of Columbia officials decided to keep voting results there
secret because of a decision on Capitol Hill last month. Congress
amended a district budget bill to forbid spending money on the
referendum because it opposes legalization of marijuana.

The American Civil Liberties Union said it would file a Freedom of
Information Act request to get the vote results released. If the ACLU
succeeds in getting the vote certified and the initiative wins,
Congress can still veto the measure by a majority vote in both houses.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry