Pubdate: Mon, 23 Jun 2008
Source: Hendersonville Times-News (NC)
Copyright: 2008 Hendersonville Newspaper Corporation
Contact:  http://www.blueridgenow.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/793
Author: John Harbin

RALEIGH TO HEAR FROM MARIJUANA ADVOCATES

Advocates and local residents will speak before the  state House this 
week to encourage a study into the use  of medicinal marijuana.

Polk County resident Jean Marlowe, Democratic Rep. Earl  Jones of 
Guilford County, former U.S. Surgeon General  Dr. Jocelyn Elders and 
Saluda resident Ray Pague plan  to speak Wednesday at the Capitol auditorium.

Jones said he will introduce a measure calling for a  study to be 
done on the benefits of medicinal  marijuana.

"Dr. Elders will address the Science and Technology  Committee of the 
House about this subject," Jones said.  "I have a bill that will be 
requesting a study  committee."

Jones said he is introducing the bill because he  believes marijuana 
may hold a potential cure for  ailments or pain.

"Marijuana has been proven in studies to reduce the  pain and 
suffering in patients suffering from  Alzheimer's disease, glaucoma, 
multiple sclerosis, AIDS  and cancer," he said. Jones said his top 
priority in  policy making is to benefit the public, and in 
this  case helping the public manage pain.

"There is not a reason for marijuana not to be used  legally in North 
Carolina if it could help our  residents manage their pain and 
suffering," he said.

Marlowe plans to speak about the latest research on  medicinal marijuana.

"I want to tell legislators how North Carolina patients  are 
suffering and worried about prosecution," she said.  "It is high time 
North Carolina gets on board. North  Carolina residents need natural 
medicines. Some of  these toxic pharmaceuticals are not the answer."

Jones said 12 states passed legislation calling for  studies into 
medicinal marijuana.

Marlowe said medicinal marijuana patients are being persecuted.

"If they are arrested and convicted they are forbidden  from getting 
public housing, food stamps and other  things they may need," she 
said. "This needs to be  changed now."

Pague was pleased that Jocelyn Elders will speak.

"I have been following her for several years," Pague  said. "She has 
been following medical marijuana studies  for years, logically."

Marijuana "is something that for patients who find it,  works for 
them," he said.

Marlowe's visit to Raleigh will come two days after a  hearing set 
for today in Polk County Superior Court for  her ex-husband Steve.

Steve Marlowe, 59, of Mill Spring, was arrested in  November 2007 and 
charged with possession of drug  paraphernalia, maintaining a vehicle 
or dwelling for  the use or sale of marijuana and manufacturing  marijuana.

Marlowe's attorney, Ben Scales of Asheville, has filed  motions that 
claim the Polk County Sheriff's Office  forced an informant to give 
investigators false  information to obtain a search warrant.

The motions are slated to be heard in court today.

"The search warrant was executed by the Polk County  Sheriff's 
Department on November 13, 2007," Scales said  in his motion. "The 
warrant was issued upon information  contained in the affidavit of 
Lt. Matt Prince, which in  turn is based upon a statement by a 
formerly confidential informant named Charles Grady Shehan Jr."

According to the search warrant, Lt. Prince relied on  statements 
made by Shehan.

"In his video statement, Shehan unequivocally makes  clear that the 
statements he gave to the deputies upon  which the search warrants 
were based were not true,"  Scales said.
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