Pubdate: Mon, 14 Jul 2003 Source: Ventura County Star (CA) Copyright: 2003, The E.W. Scripps Co. Contact: http://www.staronline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/479 Author: Toshi Maeda DOCTOR COULD LOSE LICENSE OVER MARIJUANA OAKLAND -- A doctor who recommended that thousands of his patients use marijuana is facing charges that could cost him his medical license, but the physician and his supporters say the case is merely an attempt to hush a vocal advocate for medicinal use of the drug. Tod H. Mikuriya, 69, wrote marijuana recommendations for 7,500 of his patients without conducting sufficient medical examinations, according to officials with the Medical Board of California, which has moved to revoke or suspend the doctor's license. But Mikuriya's defense team has asked an administrative law judge to dismiss the accusation, citing California's voter-approved law that allows doctors to recommend marijuana to sick patients. A judge heard arguments in the case last week and is expected to rule on Mikuriya's motion in three weeks. Mikuriya, of Berkeley, has been at the forefront of medical marijuana advocacy for decades and has written a book with Ed Rosenthal, a renowned medical marijuana advocate who faced his own legal case earlier this year. "Dr. Mikuriya is the biggest fish, the most visible advocate who has been writing on this for 40 years," said John Fleer, one of Mikuriya's attorneys. The controversy surrounding Mikuriya comes as the Bush administration is stepping up its efforts to crack down on doctors who approve marijuana use. State law allows doctors to recommend marijuana in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. Last week, the administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to let federal authorities punish doctors who recommended pot to their patients. The move was in response to a San Francisco-based federal appeals court's October ruling that the Justice Department may not investigate doctors merely for recommending marijuana. Mikuriya is among nearly a dozen California physicians under investigation by the medical board in connection to medical marijuana recommendations. Some of the doctors have written more recommendations than Mikuriya. Torrance doctor William Eidelman is the only doctor currently under suspension by the board in connection to medical marijuana approvals. Eidelman is fighting that suspension. At least one other marijuana-recommending doctor in California was temporarily suspended from practicing medicine. The medical board, meanwhile, stresses that the accusation against Mikuriya has nothing to do with marijuana. Deputy Attorney General Lawrence Mercer, who represents the medical board, told the judge Friday that the charges against Mikuriya are about "a doctor practicing without doing what a good doctor has to do." Hallye Jordan, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Bill Lockyer, said doctors are required to perform a physical exam, check the patient's medical history and do follow-up work. "We believe that Dr. Mikuriya did not provide that responsible, standard care," Jordan said. Mikuriya disputes the allegations. "They say I didn't see them, I didn't examine them. That's absolutely untrue," Mikuriya said, arguing he spends at least 15 minutes with each patient before issuing a recommendation. Mikuriya, a psychiatrist specializing in the history of medical cannabis, insists marijuana is very effective in alleviating chronic pain, muscle spasms, depression and alcoholism. "This is very much like a holy war, not based on science or medicine, but based on ignorance and incorrect information," Mikuriya said. Frank Lucido, another Berkeley doctor who is under investigation for having recommended marijuana to a 16-year-old patient, said the accusations against Mikuriya are having "a chilling effect to other doctors" who recommend marijuana. The case is In the Matter of the Accusation Against Tod Mikuriya, 12-1999-98783. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens