MEDICAL MARIJUANA: IT'S BAD MEDICINE, IT'S BAD LAW

Sept. 10, 2000 - A few sad stories are already beginning to show up in the
news. A man with multiple sclerosis smokes illegal marijuana, supposedly to
relieve muscle spasms. A man with AIDS thinks he and others suffering from
the disease should be able to smoke marijuana because it might relieve his
nausea.

These stories are designed to engender sympathy among Coloradans, and they do.

The stories are also designed to emotionally move Coloradans to vote "yes"
on a constitutional amendment that would supposedly legalize marijuana for
medical purposes. Amendment 20 is bad medicine and bad law. For our
children and for our families, Coloradans should vote "no" on Amendment 20.

The reasons are clear:

Smoked marijuana is medically unnecessary. Ask your doctor. There are more
effective and approved drugs available, including those you don't have to
smoke or swallow. The National Institutes of Health reported in March 1992
that there are better, safer drugs available.

Subsequent research bears this out. For example, Marinol contains the
active ingredient as marijuana but is FDA-tested and approved, and soon
will be available in patch form. Physicians can prescribe precise amounts
of Marinol.

Patients would have to buy marijuana from illegal street dealers or grow
their own. You won't see this fact on the slick TV ads from the
promarijuana forces. And the law would allow them to possess enough
marijuana for as many as 150 cigarettes - quite a stash. But it will still
be a criminal offense to sell marijuana.

No prescription would be required, only a statement that crude marijuana
"might" relieve symptoms. Is that a reason to amend the state's constitution?

What's potentially worse, a person could become entitled to use marijuana
by presenting his or her medical records at a state registry office. In
this day of desktop publishing, consider the potential for fraud and abuse.

The amendment invites recreational drug users to find medical excuses to
smoke marijuana. Employees at the state registry office would have little
time to check the authenticity of the doctor's signature and medical
records, and if these checks aren't made quickly, approval to use marijuana
must automatically be granted. If the applicant is rejected, would he or
she sue?

If passed, this amendment would send a dangerous message to our children:
If marijuana is "good medicine," it must be "OK for kids, too" at a time
when illegal drug use by children is at epidemic proportions.

Finally, there is a threat to the workplace. You'll hear that the proposed
amendment attempts to address employers' fears. But the Americans With
Disabilities Act is so broad that it could protect employees under the
influence of marijuana in the workplace.

That's a compelling list of reasons to vote "no" on Amendment 20, reasons
that doesn't even include law enforcement concerns.

Proponents, using out-of-state money, will mount a slick, well-financed
campaign to persuade Coloradans to pass this wrong-headed amendment.
Mostly, you'll hear a few sad stories. You may also hear about some
so-called "research." But most of the medical and scientific communities
dispute such "research." The most important consideration, however, is that
these California-based pro-marijuana backers really want a foot in the door
to legalize drugs in our state. Use of marijuana as medicine is just the
first step. They hope that Colorado, and then other states, will legalize
all drugs - marijuana, cocaine, the rest.

I don't think it will work. Coloradans must ask themselves and their
doctors: If smoking marijuana is such a great treatment, why is it that the
American Medical Association is opposed? Why is the American Cancer Society
opposed? If it's such a valuable drug, why is it still illegal to sell?
And, for that man with multiple sclerosis, why does the International
Association of Multiple Sclerosis Societies warn that smoked marijuana is
not an appropriate medicine?

The American Glaucoma Society is opposed. The American Academy of
Opthalmology is opposed. The Colorado Medical Society, Colorado Health and
Hospital Association, Tri-County Health, Colorado Academy of Family
Practitioners, and Colorado Dental Association are all against the use of
crude marijuana as medicine.

Why? They know the alternatives, and they've seen the research - research
that shows that smoking marijuana is especially dangerous for people with
weak immune systems, including those with AIDS.

In our own state, Gov. Bill Owens, State Treasurer Mike Coffman, Attorney
General Ken Salazar and U.S. Attorney Tom Strickland are opposed to the
amendment, and the state legislature recently passed a resolution urging de
feat of this measure.

Coloradans must ask themselves how those pot users we are about to see in
slick TV commercials will be buying marijuana: from the dealer on the
corner? Will some of the drugs end up in the hands of children? I pray not.

Coloradans Against Legalizing Marijuana is a coalition of doctors, nurses,
elected officials, law enforcement officials, business people, the faith
communities, civic leaders, parents and educators.

We have read the fine print. We understand the sham, the hidden agenda and
the threat to our children and families in Colorado. We hope other
Coloradans will hear us, and vote "no" on Amendment 20. It's bad medicine.
It's bad law.