PRESS RELEASE:  10/13/95
PIERCE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE RULES:
STATE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THAT MARIJUANA
BE AVAILABLE AS A PRESCRIPTION SUBSTANCE.


Ralph Seeley, journalist, lawyer, and cancer patient, has accomplished what
no one else has done in a quarter century of attempts. Seeley filed a
declaratory judgment action in Pierce County Superior Court, asking for a
ruling that the State Constitution's reliance on "fundamental principles"
requires that marijuana be available as a prescription substance. This
morning, the Honorable Rosanne Buckner, Judge of the Superior Court for
Pierce County, agreed. A final order is being prepared.

Marijuana is currently classified in "schedule I", which means that it
cannot be prescribed, and that even research into its medical uses is
prohibited. Schedule II drugs, such as opium, and cocaine, may be prescribed
by doctors in appropriate cases. So may Marinol, the pharmaceutical version
of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.  But Marinol must be swallowed,
(a difficult if not impossible task for a person suffering from the violent
nausea brought on by chemotherapy), takes over an hour to take affect, and
causes its user to be "stoned" for up to 14 hours. Since efforts to move
marijuana to schedule II have foundered in recent years, the price of
Marinol has skyrocketed. It is now over $5.00 per pill.

Lawyers for the state argued that marijuana has no currently accepted
medical use. Seeley countered that current law absolutely prohibits its use
for any purpose, and prohibits any research into its medical uses. In other
words "Catch 22."  He pointed out that in 1988 the administrative law Judge
for the DEA, after a year of intensive study and hearings, concluded that
"marijuana has been accepted as capable of relieving the distress of great
numbers of very ill people, and doing so with safety under medical
supervision. It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for the DEA
to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this
substance in light of the evidence in this record."  The DEA chose to ignore
his advice, and continues to absolutely refuse to allow marijuana to be
prescribed, or even to allow research into its medical uses.  This court
decision has the effect of taking the issue of medical marijuana out of the
hands of law enforcement, and placing it into the hands of doctors.

Seeley's moving argument contained numerous references to his own
experiences as a cancer patient, forced to choose between breaking the law
and enduring unendurable suffering.

For more information contact Ralph Seeley at (206) 383-3434.
If Mr. Seeley is not available, contact Jeff Steinborn, (206) 622-5117

This is a PRESS RELEASE as written by Jeff Steinborn of the law offices of STEINBORN & ASSOCS.