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People United for Medical Marijuana are saying pass the petition. Organizers of the Orlando-based political committee have been working to collect 700,000 signatures before a Feb. 1 deadline. To date, they have collected over 31,000.

If successful, the voters of Florida will decide if medication is a legitimate use of an otherwise illicit drug. Kim Russell is the founder and chairperson of PUFMM. When one of her family members was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease she launched an effort to change state law.

At present, state law prohibits the prescription of medical marijuana and possession of more than ounce of pot can result in penalities of up to five years in prison and a fine. It is one of the harshest marijuana laws in the country, according to advocates for legalization.

Her research supported marijuana as an effective treatment option for those suffering from a wide variety of ailments, from glaucoma to Parkinson's. Her loved one's neurologist agreed, but the family members refuses to break the law.

"After speaking with politicians, it became clear this was the way to get the laws changed," Russell recalls in an e-mail interview. "I really didn't see any other alternative. This family member, who has asked to remain anonymous, could avoid brain surgery by having access to this medicine."

Multiple Sclerosis is another disease that marijuana has potential to effectively treat. MS patients suffes from multiple scars on their brain and spinal cord. Although the disease is not well understood, doctors do know that the immune system of MS patients attacks portions of their central nervous system. Everything from breathing to bladder function is jeopardized by this illness.

"It affects my hearing…," says Marie McClam , who begins to list the ways MS has affected her body, "My balance, my sight, walking, it just about affects everything."

McClam was diagnosed with MS in 1995. There is no known cure, only treatments to slow the progression of symptoms. Like those who suffer from other degenerative illnesses, MS patients must endure constant streams of pain just to complete a day. The night is even worse.

"I can't remember the last time I had a full night's sleep, because of the pain," says McClam.

McClam, who is on a regimen of medications, says her doctor won't prescribe more for the pain.

"Really all they want you to do is take Tylenol. They don't want to put you on anything too strong. So it won't interfere with the medicine for the MS," she explains.

On a scale of zero to 10, 10 being the worst pain imaginable, Marie ranks hers as an eight. Medications like Baclofen are chemically designed to control spasms , but side effects from such drugs tempt patients to experiment with herbal remedies. McClam said she would "definitely" try marijuana if it was legal. Shouldn't she have the right to choose?, ask medical marijuana activists.

Montel Williams is a nationally televised talk show host, as well as a determined survivor of MS. In the years since his diagnosis in 1999, he has become the most recognizable supporter of medical marijuana. Williams has made many claims publicly about his use of marijuana. He says marijuana relieves some of the symptoms of his MS, such as nerve pain, insomnia and depression. He is not alone in validating its therapeutic benefits.

Robert Meyer M.D, director at the Office of Drug Evaluation II at the FDA, in 2006 testified before the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources House Committee on Government Reform.

"The FDA has not approved marijuana for medical use in the United States. Despite its status as an unapproved new drug, there has been considerable interest in its use for the treatment of a number of conditions, including glaucoma, AIDS wasting, neuropathic pain, treatment of spasticity associated with Multiple Sclerosis, and chemotherapy-induced nausea," he then stated.

If marijuana has such a potential for medicine, why is it still a federal offense for physicians to prescribe in the United States?

"Marijuana is illegal because it is dangerous," responded Bruce Grant, Director of the Florida Office of Drug Control.

Perhaps, but it helps to consider the complicated history of marijuana's prohibition. In early America, marijuana was a valuable commodity. Settlements such as Andrew Turnbull's New Smyrna were founded with hemp as a source of economic support. It wasn't until the 1900s that marijuana began its political slip into infamy. The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 created the Food and Drug Administration, was designed to be a "consumer watchdog" for safe and effective drugs. The act also required the testing of all drugs intended for human consumption, as well as some to be sold as prescription only. It wasn't until the Controlled Substance Act of 1970 that marijuana became illegal for medical use.

Before that law, patients could receive marijuana as a treatment after paying a tax to the government that cost more than the marijuana. The Controlled Substance Act began the system of classifying drugs into "schedules," which the FDA still uses today.

There are five schedules of controlled substances, categorized based on their medical relevancy in association to the potential for abuse. The first schedule contains drugs with no valid medical uses and a high risk of abuse. These drugs are illegal under federal law to prescribe. Marijuana is grouped on Schedule I with heroin and LSD, among others. Schedule II host drugs that according to the FDA have a high risk of abuse, but also possess medical benefits. Cocaine and morphine are examples of Schedule II drugs.

Gary Davidson, Public Information Officer for the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, approaches the question of medical marijuana from a practical position.

"Our position is based on numerous factors. First off, this issue extends beyond mere medical use. It's a known fact that proponents of outright decriminalization of marijuana have been trying to hijack the medical marijuana debate in an effort to pursue their own objectives."

But PUFMM founder Kim Russell had this to say: "There is no evidence medical marijuana laws lead to full legalization. In the 13 states that have passed medical marijuana legislation, not one has made the move to full legalization. The fact is, patients are suffering every day because they do not have access to this medicine."

Florida law enforcement's opposition to marijuana is uniform. The chief adviser to Governor Charlie Crist on the issue of drugs, Grant takes this stance.

"Research has proven that marijuana use can be harmful; there are two major risks: respiratory disease and accidental injuries due to impairment."

Russell counters, saying, "The most efficient method for using marijuana is by ingestion, rather than smoking".

Davidson hints at a hypothetical compromise saying, "Should valid scientific studies prove that marijuana has medicinal benefits, then we would look at those facts and possibly draw a different conclusion, so long as the marijuana was in pill form and not the smokable variety."

In 1985, the FDA approved Marinol capsules for the treatment of nausea related to chemotherapy. The pharmaceutical was manufactured by Unimed containing the active ingredient Dronabinol, a synthetic mimic of THC. Today the drug is prescribed to an array of patients.

Mike DiPrete (see this month's Student Spotlight) has Muscular Dystrophy and was prescribed Marinol because of his weight.

"A doctor always thinks 'cause your skinny you never eat. I eat like a king and I don't gain a pound," DiPrete says. "Marinol is not a drug for pain. It's a drug for weight gain."

DiPrete also believes in the legalization of medical marijuana. Like many others, he believes if doctors can find some benefits to its active ingredients - such as those found in Marinol - there must be some merit in its natural herbal form.

Russell does too and is urging all who agree to sign her petition. To do so, go to www.pufmm.org

You must be a Florida resident and registered voter. If enough petition signatures are not received by the Feb. 1 deadline, they can be held onto for four years as the push continues. To learn more about the issue check out these sites:

www.flgov.com/drugcontrol

www.fda.gov

www.volusia.org/sheriff

www.medicalmarijuana.procon.org

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