Lieutenant Governed: I685 is 'just too dangerous'

Owen brings case against medical marijuana to Mount Vernon

By Jill RabenStaff Writer

MOUNT VERNON (WA) Sponsors of a state initiative that would allow
marijuana to be used for medical treatment say their intent is to get
politics out of the drug war.

Doctors and their patients should be given the option to use marijuana to
alleviate nausea from chemotherapy or help AID's patients regain their
appetite, said Dr. Rob Killian, a family doctor in Tacoma who is sponsoring
Initiative 685. He also says those addicted to illicit drugs should be
treated, not locked up.

But, some detractors say the proposal goes too far. Lt. Gov. Brad Owen,
who was elected to his office on an antidrug platform, has been
campaigning against the initiative for several months. He stepped up his
opposition this month with the general election only five weeks away.

Owen's list of stops included Mount Vernon (WA) yesterday. So far, Owen
and his group, Concerned Citizens Against Dangerous Drugs, has raised
$50,000 for the cause. "This whole thing is just too dangerous and too
major of a policy shift," Owen said. "I will speak out against this until
they tie me down and gag me."

Initiative 685 would allow doctors to recommend some drugs such as
marijuana for the treatment of diseases. Doctors must document that
scientific research exists to support the use of the drug to treat a
disease, get a second doctor's opinion and receive written permission from
the patient before recommending the drug, according to the initiative.

Owen says the initiative doesn't detail which diseases, or what kind and
how much scientific research is required, opening the floodgates for drug
abuse. And the initiative isn't just about pot. It includes other
socalled Schedule 1 drugs such as heroin, PCP, and LSD.

Killian said doctors currently can prescribe harder drugs, such as cocaine
and morphine, and it hasn't created more drug abuse. But there isn't a
provision in the initiative that would create a legal distribution system
for the drugs. "Even if it's made legal, you still have to go buy it off
the street," Owen said. "Are we supposed to feel comfortable with that?"

Killian says that would come later. "I trust doctors won't recommend
marijuana until we can make it safely available," Killian said. Killian
said he is trying to change the country's drug policy. Onethird of all
prisoners are locked up for drug possession.

This country locks up more people than any other even though treatment
costs only a fraction of incarceration, Killian said. "I think we're
afraid of drugs in this country." Killian said, "It's an irrational fear."
Politicians shouldn't be in the medical business, Killian said.

But Owen says doctors shouldn't be writing laws. According to the
initiative, drug offenders would receive treatment for the first two
offenses, with the threat of jail on the third time. The initiative also
could release 300 prisoners locked up for possession of a controlled
substance. That's just too risky, Owen said.

The initiative would give parole eligibility for those people convicted of
possession of a personaluse amount of drugs. This law wouldn't apply to
people dealing drugs or manufacturing them.

Owen said no firsttime drug offender is ever sent to prison. Those that
would be released have a history of multiple felonies. The change would
also completely eliminate the state's drug courts and get rid of
flexibility in the system, Owen said.

The initiative also proposed to create a ninemember commission for
Washington State parents on drug education and prevention and transfers $6
million in the state budget to cover the costs of added parole hearings and
drug treatment.