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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 1997)
10 ▼ Ja n u a r y 1 7 , 1 9 0 7 ▼ j u s t o u t national news Blowing smoke , Inhaling deeply the Clinton administration has vowed to take action against the medical use of marijuana Do you live or work in Washington County? We’re here for you!! The Washington County Health Department offers daily HIV testing and counseling, by appointment and walk-in, in two convenient locations: G ai-P ied * Unique selection o f gay books , magapnis, calendars & cards For the Gay Man in Your Life Popular movie rental!sales • Novelty Items 331-1125 • 2544 NE Broadway Portland, OR 97232 ▼ ▼T ¥ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ¥ ▼ ▼ ▼ ◄ M onthly Support Groups ► For Parents, Vtouth & Children (Meets second Monday d t m orth) ► The Parent Teacher Panel ► 155 North 1st Hillsboro 12550 SW 2nd Beaverton Other services include STD exams and treatment and a Wellness Program for individuals who are HIV positive. 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C all 5 0 3 * 2 2 3 * 1 1 0 0 or 8 0 0 * 3 5 7 * 3 1 9 4 • Portland, Oregon ◄ ◄ A À A AÎ 4 “Serving Our C om m unity by M eetin g Your Needs ” 917 SW Washington by Bob Roehr (G AY PEE-A) scientific medical process by which we approve he Clinton administration turned the rhetorical screws in its war against the medicines.” He claimed there was little data to medical use of marijuana at a Dec. 30 support the efficacy of medical use of marijuana. What he didn’t mention are the roadblocks his news conference in Washington, D.C. agency has thrown into that research process. The move is a response to voter- approved initiatives in California and Arizona Dr. Lester Grinspoon, professor at the Harvard that allow medical use of marijuana and other Medical School, pointed out on PBS’ NewsHour banned drugs. with Jim Lehrer that there are a number of studies both here and in Europe that have demonstrated “Drug czar” retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey, Attorney General Janet Reno and the effectiveness of marijuana for certain medical Health and Human Services Secretary Donna purposes. Shalala threatened a series of reprisals against The limited amount of data available on all patients who use marijuana for medicinal pur natural products, including marijuana, is a result poses and physicians who of the way clinical trials recommend that use. and drug approval are They warned that doc structured in the United tors could lose the right States. Most research is to write prescriptions, conducted by pharma patients could be ex ceutical com panies, cluded from Medicare which can license a drug and Medicaid, and fed and later make money eral assistance could be off of its sales. Natural given to state and local products, however, can governments prosecuting not be licensed, so there medical marijuanacases. is no financial incentive But at the same time for industry to study Reno admitted the ad them. ministration is not going The American Medi to commit any new re cal A ssociation has sources to this effort. It urged federal funding of has also decided not to research to determine the directly challenge the validity of marijuana as laws in court, and it will an effective medical defer to Congress on treatment. whether or not the states Dr. Donald Abrams, should lose federal fund a physician and re ing for drug rehabilita searcher in San Fran tion. cisco, is particularly ‘This two-bit general fru strated with the has declared war on _ „ Clinton administration. people with A ID S," Barney Frank In 1993 he proposed a charged Steve Michael of ACT UP-Washington. clinical trial of medical marijuana for treating “It’s outrageous that the president who ‘didn’t AIDS-associated wasting syndrome. The Food inhale’ is denying sick and dying people the relief and Drug Administration eagerly worked with that medical marijuana provides.” him to shape the trial, and it went through normal Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) has proposed review processes within the University of Cali federal legislation to legalize medical use of mari fornia research system. All approved its struc juana. In a statement released by his office, he ture. said that “medical practitioners who are follow He applied to the Drug Enforcement Agency ing the dictates of their profession and the laws in April 1995 for permission to import the neces adopted by the voters of their sary marijuana from a legal states by prescribing the method The limited amount of grower in Holland. Ever since they think best suited to reduce the DEA has raised one data available on all then suffering in seriously ill people procedural objection after an do not deserve to be persecuted other to prevent several modi natural products, by the federal government.” fied versions of the trial from Ben Schatz, executive di including marijuana, going forward. rector of the Gay and Lesbian “One of the things that was is a result of the way particularly Medical Association, said, annoying,” said ‘This strikes me as an absurd GLMA’s Schatz, “was when clinical trials and political ploy to make the ad Shalala, et al., were citing stud drug approval are ministration look tough on ies that proportionately show drugs. It is destructive and not that marijuana is not medi structured in the medically justified. cally helpful, while at the same “We have members who are time they are blocking further United States. quite concerned about prosecu study.” tion, about medical McCarthy hearings,” he said. Schatz, a member of the Presidential Advisory “It’s hard to dismiss those fears as groundless.” Council on HI V/AIDS, compared the response to Dr. Jeffrey Singer, a Phoenix, Ariz., surgeon the way the administration has dealt with needle- who was a leader in that state’s referendum, exchange programs to reduce the spread of HIV: reacted harshly to the news: “If they’re going to ‘There are a lot more studies on needle exchange, take away a doctor’s license because he rendered documenting its benefits, and in that case the his opinion on paper, that’s a First Amendment administration feels the need to be extremely issue.” cautious. But when it comes to marijuana, they McCaffrey maintained on CBS’ This Morn are willing to misuse a handful of studies to push ing that the administration is “trying to protect the their political agenda.” T