Pubdate: Tue, 07 Jun 2005
Source: Republican, The (Springfield, MA)
Copyright: 2005 The Republican
Contact:  http://www.masslive.com/republican/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3075
Author: Azell Murphy Cavaan
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Craker
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Raich (Angel Raich)

UMASS PROFESSOR 'DISAPPOINTED'

The Supreme Court ruling yesterday to outlaw use of medical marijuana
came just weeks before a local plant scientist is expected to appear
in court, accusing the federal government of obstructing his research
on the topic.

Lyle E. Craker, a professor at the University of Massachusetts in
Amherst, said yesterday's high court decision "certainly does not help
our case." "On behalf of society, I am disappointed," said Craker, who
is a professor of plant and soil sciences. "People who are ill and can
benefit from use of marijuana are going to be denied a medicine that
could help them in their suffering."

In a 6-3 decision, the high court decided yesterday that state medical
marijuana laws do not protect users from a federal ban on the drug.
But Craker said while the court's decision may have come at a bad
time, it does not render the merits of his case null and void. Last
year, Craker filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals after the
federal Drug Enforcement Administration failed to answer his
application to establish a campus facility where he could grow
marijuana for U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved research.

The case could go to court sometime in July, Craker said yesterday.
"We are always looking for medicines that will help ill people. The
only way we can demonstrate whether (marijuana) is effective medicine
is to have valid scientific tests," Craker said.

Justice John Paul Stevens, who wrote yesterday's decision, said that
Congress could change the law to allow medical use of marijuana.
Stevens said there are other legal options for patients, "but perhaps
even more important than these legal avenues is the democratic
process, in which the voices of voters allied with these respondents
may one day be heard in the halls of Congress."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake