cannabisnews.com: Local Pot Study Sought Local Pot Study Sought Posted by FoM on December 26, 1999 at 14:55:47 PT By Alan Gathright, Mercury News Staff Writer Source: Mercury News San Mateo County officials are increasingly hopeful of gaining federal approval for the nation's first locally funded medicinal marijuana trial in January.Last month, a bipartisan group of 34 members of Congress sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala urging her to support such projects. ``Medicinal marijuana research should proceed as expeditiously as possible,'' the letter said. Shalala's support could be critical in the county's application to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which would approve the study protocol and supply ``research-grade'' marijuana.County health researchers are ``confident that the protocol has a good chance of being approved,'' county Supervisor Mike Nevin said in a recent report to fellow board members. For two years, the former San Francisco police officer has been a leading advocate for compassionate distribution of medicinal marijuana to people suffering from AIDS, glaucoma, chronic pain and other serious ailments.County public health doctors and consulting researchers had institution officials critique a draft of the study protocol before submitting the final application earlier this month. ``We strongly believe that we've done everything we've been asked to do,'' Nevin said.He's also buoyed by congressional lobbying for medicinal studies. ``We've gotten a positive response out of Congress that we've never had before,'' Nevin said, crediting Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, for spearheading support.``(Eshoo) agrees with the San Mateo County leadership that medicinal marijuana, when used in a responsible and appropriate manner, has an important role in helping people,'' said her chief of staff, John Flaherty.If approved, the county-funded $350,000 study on safety and benefits of medicinal marijuana could begin almost immediately with an initial 60-patient clinical trial. Participants would be AIDS or cancer patients in the final six months of life who suffer from dramatic weight loss, nausea and vomiting.The marijuana used in the 12-week trial would be carefully monitored by county doctors, with each patient receiving a seven-day, 21-cigarette supply. To ensure scientific consistency, participants would be shown how to meticulously smoke three cigarettes daily (``inhale for three seconds, then hold their breath for five seconds and then exhale''), according to the study protocol. They'll keep diaries of the marijuana's effect on their appetites and moods and return leftover ``cigarette ends'' to confirm their participation.``What we're trying to do is give medical science a chance to prove beyond any doubt that marijuana should be available in every pharmacy in America for those who truly need it for medicinal purposes,'' Nevin said.He hopes solid evidence will dispel the doubts that clouded Proposition 215, the initiative Californians passed in 1996 allowing physician approval of medicinal marijuana use for seriously ill people. State and local officials struggled to apply the vaguely written law in the face of strong opposition from federal law enforcement officials and former state Attorney General Dan Lungren.But political winds may be shifting in support of medicinal marijuana use as scientific validation and popular support mounts.After two distinguished national scientific panels concluded there is evidence that marijuana can be useful in the treatment of some patients, the Clinton administration made it easier for academic researchers to obtain samples of research-grade marijuana supplied by the government.About 73 percent of Americans support ``making marijuana legally available for doctors to prescribe in order to reduce pain and suffering,'' according to a March Gallup poll. California's law was followed by passage of similar measures in Alaska, Washington, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona, Colorado and Maine.``It's not just `crazy California' supporting this any more,'' Nevin said. ``There are seven states that have passed laws like Proposition 215, and it's about time the federal government and the Congress get some courage on this issue.''Contact Alan Gathright at agathright sjmercury.com or (650) 364-4750. Published: Decenber 26, 1999©1999 Mercury Center. Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by FoM on December 26, 1999 at 16:26:52 PT Oops! Sorry for the mistakes. If someone needs the correct info from California I'll repost this correctly! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on December 26, 1999 at 16:24:14 PT 1/99 Hearing To Raise Penalty For NJ Possession JAN 11 HEARING ON BILL TO RAISE PENALTY FOR MARIJUANA POSSESSIONFrom Richard LakeDecember 25, 1999http://www.mapinc.org/SACRAMENTO - The State Senate Public Safety Committee will be hearing Sen. Knight's bill SB 273 to raise the penalty for marijuana possession from $100 to $1,000 on Tuesday, Jan. 11. Comments about SB 273 should be addressed to:Sen. William "Pete" Knight 916-445-6637 / FAX 916:445:4662senator.knight sen.ca.govSen. John Vasconcellos, chair, State Sen. Public Safety Committee916-445-9740 / FAX 916:324:0283 senator.vaconcellos sen.ca.govDale Gieringer (415) 563-5858 // canorml igc.org2215-R Market St. #278, San Francisco CA 94114 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: