ALBUQUERQUE - Under a law passed by New Mexico's State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Bill Richardson, New Mexico doctors are allowed to prescribe marijuana to help seriously ill patients combat their pain and nausea.

"The law will provide for much needed relief to New Mexicans suffering from debilitating diseases," said Richardson, a Democratic candidate for U.S. President in 2008, at the signing
ceremony.  "It is the right thing to do."

With the stroke of the pen, New Mexico becomes the 12th state in the United States to endorse the use of marijuana for medical uses. The New Mexico's state legislature is only the fourth in the country to enact such measures.

According to Richardson's office, the new law allows physicians to prescribe marijuana to patients that are suffering from such diseases as cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy.

However many states that have enacted the use of "medical marijuana" have found their legislation rendered useless due to 1970 Federal legislation which considers marijuana a "controlled substance".  The 1970 federal Controlled Substances Act takes priority over any state legislation.

Just a month ago, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a California man with an inoperable brain tumor could not take marijuana to ease his pain, even though the voters of California passed a similar law in 1996.

The New Mexico law calls for a panel of eight physicians and health workers to write guidelines for the new program.  Further, the patient must be under the care and supervision of a doctor at all times.

Mr. Robert McNabb, suffering for HIV/AIDS said, "I would like to thank the governor for giving me
relief from this pain."