Pubdate: Mon, 05 Nov 2012
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock, AR)
Copyright: 2012 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.
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ARKANSAS MEDICAL SOCIETY OPPOSES MARIJUANA MEASURE

LITTLE ROCK - The Arkansas Medical Society has announced its
opposition to a ballot item that would legalize medical use of
marijuana in Arkansas.

The organization represents more than 4,300 physicians and medical
students in the state. The conservative lobbying group Family Council
Action Committee on Monday praised the society's 40-member board for
voting to oppose the marijuana measure.

Backers of the measure say marijuana has helped them through pain and
nausea during chemotherapy and other medical conditions when other
drugs failed. The group Arkansans for Compassionate Care has released
a list of dozens of doctors and medical professionals who support the
measure.

But, the society says, advances in conventional medications enable
regulated drugs to counter the conditions cited by the marijuana
backers. The society says the negative consequences of legalizing
medical marijuana outweigh the benefits.
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