Lockyer invited about 35 law enforcement, health and elected officials and advocates for medical marijuana to the Justice Department’s Sacramento office yesterday for the first meeting of a new task force.

In contrast to his predecessor, Dan Lungren, Lockyer supports Proposition 215, which legalized marijuana for medical use under certain circumstances.

California voters passed Proposition 215 in November 1996. Yet Lungren and the federal government moved quickly to shut down loosely organized pot clubs.

Lockyer spokeswoman Hilary McLean said her boss wants "to get sick people the medicine they need and still work within the confines of current law."

"If current law needs to be changed, find out what needs to be changed," McLean said.

"He has open arms," Nevin said. "Lockyer himself was a proponent of Proposition 215. That makes a lot of difference."

Nevin noted that health officials in San Mateo County are asking for federal approval of a clinical study of the health benefits of medical marijuana. Patients suffering from AIDS or HIV or undergoing chemotherapy would smoke marijuana to see whether it relieves pain and stimulates appetite as proponents say.

The proposed study would differ from one under way at San Francisco General Hospital in that it would include cancer patients, not just those with HIV. San Mateo County needs federal approval before distributing marijuana, which is classified as a dangerous drug on par with heroin or cocaine.

Nevin said the study could help determine whether developing an inhaler, similar to ones used by asthma patients, would "impact the immediate nausea" caused by some cancer treatments, for instance.

The task force is led by state Senator John Vasconcellos, D-San Jose, and Santa Clara County District Attorney George Kennedy. The group has divided into subcommittees to study the various issues raised by medical marijuana and plans to meet again next month.