It's Medicine: Supporters of medical marijuana rally
by Bradley Foster

October 06, 1998 - University of Washington Daily - daily@u.washington.edu

Hoping to convince voters to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana, a dozen speakers strove to communicate a message of compassion to more than 50 supporters at Harborview Medical Center's Initiative 692 rally Monday night.

I-692, scheduled for the Nov. 3 general election, would legalize the use of marijuana to treat patients with certain debilitating diseases, including cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, spastic disorders and glaucoma.

"We are going to win!" said Dr. Rob Killian of the I-692 campaign.

Killian, who practices medicine in Seattle, dedicated his comments at the rally to an AIDS patient of his who died earlier in the day. He credits the use of marijuana with bringing a measure of comfort to his patient's final days.

"He was able to say good-bye to his family," Killian said. "It's simple: this is about compassion.

Killian said he had grown weary of turning his back while his patients tried to obtain marijuana to ease their suffering.

"I am not running anymore," Killian said. "Doctors should be able to prescribe anything that brings patients relief"

Unless 1-692 passes, those who use marijuana for medicinal purposes will continue to need assistance from groups that attempt to provide marijuana for suffering patients -- groups such as Green Cross.

Joanna McKee, the co-founder of Green Cross, who was herself arrested in 1996 for her attempts to illegally provide marijuana to people in pain, spoke at the rally.

"We are going on 400 patients who know why medical marijuana needs to be available," McKee said. "Everybody out there knows that medical marijuana needs to be available."

Also on hand were speakers from the Washington Hemp Education Network.

Dr. David Edwards, a retired pathologist, said, "This is a ease of politics trumping science."

Easing pain is one place where it is especially effective and it is barbaric to deny it to those who need it under threat of arrest and jail, Edwards said.

Sen. Jeanne Kohl, a UW women's studies professor, was the most visible speaker at the rally. Kohl became involved in the campaign to legalize marijuana after a friend's death from cancer three years ago. Kohl said she is optimistic about the prospect of the bill passing in November.

"I think it will [pass], but it is hard to tell because of voter turn in the wake of the Bill and Monica thing, " Kohl said. "I just don't know. "

Killian wanted to assure others that I-692 would not make marijuana more available for illegal use.

"We don't need to be afraid of the future. This is not a bill to legalize marijuana, nor will it lead toward it in the future, Killian said. "We don't want children to use marijuana. This bill legalizes medicinal marijuana; that is all it does."

Killian also said that he was grateful for the support of the groups that attended. But was afraid how some might react to the campaign to legalize the medical use of marijuana.

"I'm afraid some supporters will turn off voters, rather than turn them on," Killian said.

Similar initiatives are also on the ballot in four other states: Alaska, Oregon, Nevada and Colorado, as well as the District of Columbia.

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