Pubdate: Fri, 26 Oct 2012
Source: Daily Sentinel, The (Grand Junction, CO)
Copyright: 2012 Cox Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.gjsentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2084
Author: Charles Ashby

SOME DOCTORS BACKPEDALING ON POT SUPPORT

As many as three Western Slope doctors who indicated to supporters of
a ballot measure to legalize marijuana that they agreed with the idea
later told those supporters they never really did.

While backers of Amendment 64 say those doctors are only upset because
their opinions became known, at least one said it was all a
misunderstanding from the beginning.

Dr. William Merkel, a Grand Junction plastic surgeon, said he thought
the amendment that would regulate marijuana like alcohol, thus making
it legal, actually did the opposite.

"I have to admit, I didn't know the ins and outs of Amendment 64 until
I read it a couple of days ago in the newspaper," Merkel said. "I was
aghast. What was stressed was going to be the control of marijuana,
and when you think about it, it's already controlled. I should have
picked up on that. I guess I was in a fog when I signed all this stuff."

Merkel is referring to a letter and reply card he received from the
Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol several months ago.

The letter was from Dr. Larry A. Bedard, a San Francisco doctor and
past president of the American College of Emergency Physicians who has
been helping with the campaign.

The letter explains that the amendment would end prohibition of
marijuana and allow for it to be regulated like alcohol. It goes on to
ask Colorado doctors who agree with that idea to sign and return a
postcard saying so.

About 300 doctors around the state did just that, including nearly two
dozen on the Western Slope.

Among them were Merkel, Dr. Mitchell Burnbaum of Grand Junction and
Dr. Jose Rodriguez of Rifle.

Mason Tvert, head of the measure to get the amendment passed, said
Burnbaum and Rodriguez also complained that they never supported the
measure.

Burnbaum and Rodriguez did not return numerous calls to confirm
whether they support the amendment or not.

Tvert said he believes the doctors withdrew their backing of the
measure because they didn't realize their support would become public
knowledge and now have gotten "cold feet."

Tvert pointed out that one of them, Rodriguez, checked a box on the card 
saying he would be willing to submit public statements, op-eds and 
letters to the editor in support of the measure. That same doctor also 
wrote a supportive note on the card he signed, which read: "Note: It was 
time something this sensible (Amendment 64) was prepared in the 
Legislature!!" the reconstructive surgeon wrote.

In fact, the Legislature had nothing to do with getting the measure on
the ballot. It was placed there through the citizens' initiative process.
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MAP posted-by: Matt