== Forwarded Message Follows =========================================
 * Original Date: 01-08-97  19:48
 * Original Area: NetMail
From: "Carl E. Olsen" 
Subject: W. Post:  IOM gets Md Mj
                          White House Funds Study on Effects, Potential
                          Therapies From Marijuana
                          By Pierre Thomas
                          Washington Post Staff Writer
                          Wednesday, January 8 1997; Page A16
                          The Washington Post
                          The Clinton administration, wrestling with a
                          surge in youth abuse of marijuana and efforts by
                          two states to legalize its use for medical
                          purposes, has funded an 18-month study on the
                          health effects of the drug and its potential
                          therapeutic use.
                          National drug policy director Barry R. McCaffrey
                          has asked the National Academy of Sciences'
                          Institute of Medicine to "provide a comprehensive
                          assessment of the state of scientific knowledge
                          and to identify gaps in the knowledge base about
                          marijuana," said a statement released yesterday.
                          The study, which will cost nearly $1 million, is
                          to examine existing clinical, medical and
                          scientific evidence on a topic that has become
                          the center of increasingly acidic debate. The
                          project will assess research on topics such as
                          the neurological effects of marijuana, other
                          health and behavior effects and the efficacy of
                          its therapeutic use for medical conditions such
                          as glaucoma, nausea, multiple sclerosis, AIDS and
                          cancer. The National Academy of Sciences is
                          expected to respond to the request as early as
                          today.
                          The request for the study comes as several
                          national surveys of juveniles has shown
                          increasing numbers using drugs, particularly
                          marijuana. In addition, the number of juveniles
                          arrested on drug abuse violations has more than
                          doubled since 1990. The growth has largely been
                          fueled by marijuana-related charges, law
                          enforcement officials say.
                          In November, Arizona and California voters
                          approved ballot initiatives that allow doctors to
                          recommend marijuana and other illicit drugs for
                          relieving pain and other medicinal purposes.
                          The administration, concerned about GOP
                          assessments of its drug enforcement record and
                          the potential that the new legislation might send
                          the wrong message to young people, said it was
                          adamantly opposed to the state laws.
                             =A9 Copyright 1997 The Washington Post Company
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*  Carl E. Olsen                *  carl@commonlink.net                *
*  Post Office Box 4091         *  NORML News archived at:            *
*  Des Moines, Iowa 50333       *  http://www.calyx.com/~olsen/       *
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