Prescriptions for illegal drugs urged

Monday, March 19, 2001 | 10:35 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, believes doctors should have free rein in prescribing drugs, including illegal ones, if they feel the treatment will help their patients.

"This is the first step to opening up the medical profession," said Schneider, who introduced Senate Bill 371 Friday to stop state officials from disciplining physicians who prescribe these narcotics and dangerous drugs.

"It's up to the doctor's discretion. He's the expert," Schneider said. "Why should I tell him what to do?"

The measure would permit clinics and hospitals to use experimental drugs to keep people alive or to ease their pain, he said. It also would be up to the doctor to decide if such drugs as marijuana or heroin would be beneficial to patients. People now go to Mexico and Holland to get those drugs, he noted.

"Science and technology is moving so fast, we have to get out of the way," Schneider said.

Initial reaction was restrained.

Keith MacDonald, executive director of the state Board of Pharmacy, said doctors who acted under the bill, if it passes, might run afoul of federal bans on the drugs. He noted that California approved the use of marijuana for medical purposes, but the federal government is threatening disciplinary action against physicians if they dispense the drug.

"This is a protection-of-the-public issue in the administering of drugs," MacDonald said.

Larry Lessly, executive director of the state Board of Medical Examiners, said he wanted to examine the bill before commenting.

Schneider said he knows there might be "some federal roadblocks" but added that Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., might work to ease those regulations.

"This is about healing and taking care of citizens," Schneider said. "I campaigned door-to-door last summer and talked about medical marijuana. People want to have the ability to get whatever treatment and drugs they need," Schneider said.

"I know that if I were given 30 to 60 days to live and I could take some cocktail of drugs, I would take them if it was my only hope," he said.

Voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes. The Legislature must now decide if there will be restrictions on its use and if it will be permitted only in experiments to test whether it is effective.