Pubdate: Thu, 31 Mar 2005
Source: Tuscaloosa News, The (AL)
Copyright: 2005 The Tuscaloosa News
Contact:  http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1665
Author: Bob Johnson, Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

BILL INTRODUCED TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA FOR MEDICAL USES

Laura Campbell, a 32-year-old mother of three from Cullman, says she
has been forced "to be a lawbreaker" because she has chronic pain from
a variety of ailments and is allergic to almost all pain
medications.

She said the only way she has found to consistently relieve her pain
is to smoke marijuana. She supports a bill that was introduced in the
Alabama House Thursday that would legalize possession of small amounts
of marijuana for medical use only.

The sponsor, Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, said it would help people
like Campbell, with chronic pain, and those with terminal illnesses.

"I believe this is a matter of choice for individuals with terminal
illnesses and chronic pain who have more pain and medical challenges
than most of us could ever imagine," Hall said.

She said the bill would only allow use of small amounts of marijuana,
when it is needed to relieve serious pain or to help terminal patients.

Hall said she was partly motivated to introduce the bill because of
the 1992 death of her 25-year-old son, Darren, who had AIDS. She said
her son had intense pain and was unable to eat during the later stages
of his illness.

"As a mother, I would have been relieved if this had been available
for his compassionate care," Hall said at a news conference Thursday
before she introduced the bill.

Campbell said she has tried to take numerous medications without
success for her pain caused by a long list of ailments, including
arthritis and fibromyalgia. She said marijuana relieves the pain
enough that she can better respond to the needs of her three children.

"I'm not a threat to society, but I have to be a criminal to get the
medication I need to survive," Campbell said.

She said she tried using a prescription drug that is a pill form of
marijuana, but that she couldn't afford the $500 a month price tag,
after insurance.

A co-sponsor of the legislation, Rep. Joseph Mitchell, D-Mobile, said
using marijuana for medical purposes is different that using the drug
just to get high.

"We're not talking about 300 pounds of marijuana found in the trunk of
a car," Mitchell said.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin