See
Medical Marijuana Initiative to be
Filed Today in Washington State -- Modeled After Senate Bill
and
The University of Washington Student
Newspaper Reports on Medical Marijuana Bill -- The
Governor is Bizarre
July 2, 1998Company Press Release
SOURCE: Washington Citizens for Medical Rights
Medical Use of Marijuana Act on Track for the November Ballot
OLYMPIA, Wash., July 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Washington Citizens for
Medical Rights, a broad coalition of doctors, patients and state citizens, submitted more
than 230,000 signatures today to place Initiative 692, the Washington State Medical Use of
Marijuana act, on the November 3 ballot.
"These signatures represent thousands of citizens who care about relieving the
suffering of patients with terminal or debilitating illnesses such as cancer and
AIDS," states Tacoma physician, Dr. Rob Killian, sponsor of the initiative. "We have worked with doctors, patients, law enforcement and
legislators to bring Washington voters an initiative that is tightly drafted, narrowly
focused, and protects the doctor-patient relationship," said Killian.
The initiative allows patients with specific terminal or debilitating illnesses to use
limited amounts of medical marijuana, and permits physicians to authorize and recommend
such use. Qualifying terminal or debilitating illnesses are limited to cancer, human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV), multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, glaucoma and some forms of
intractable pain. Patients would be required to have valid documentation authorizing the
use from a state-accredited physician.
I-692 in no way impacts existing state law prohibiting the use of marijuana for
non-medical purposes.
Initiative 692 is modeled after senate bill 6271, which was
introduced to the legislature during the 1998 session by State Senators Jeanne Kohl and
Pat Thibadeau. That effort received editorial support from the Seattle Times and
Post-Intelligencer.
See
Seattle
Paper Endorses Medical Marijuana Initiative: "A Better Approach"
"I enthusiastically support I-692," states Senator Kohl. "My dearest
friend of 23 years died recently of uterine cancer. I saw the difference just a small
amount of medical marijuana made in relieving her suffering, she should not have had to
die a criminal." 
Supported