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Senate passes bill to permit medical marijuana use
05-01-07|Star Tribune

In a historic vote that opponents said signalled a "cultural sea change" for Minnesota, a bill allowing patients to use medical marijuana won preliminary approval in the Minnesota Senate today by a vote of 33 to 31. The bill would allow patients who qualify to have up to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana and to receive similar amounts on a regular basis by groups set up to dispense the drug.

The bill does not legalize marijuana. It is in conflict with federal law, which makes the possession of marijuana illegal. Doctors would recommend medical marijuana to patients but would not actually prescribe it. Twelve other states have medical marijuana laws.

"Is it for everybody? No. Its for those people who have a debilitating disease or pain that is intractable," said Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing, the sponsor of the bill. "This has the potential of helping hundreds and potentially thousands of families across Minnesota in dealing with pain and end-of-life issues."

It requires patients to register and have a card through the Minnesota Department of Health. Non-profits can be established to grow and distribute the medical marijuana with up to 12 plants per patient.

Opponents suggested during debate that the bill could be part of an organized attempt to throw out all laws dealing with marijuana and that its use would increase access and potential abuse, particularly among the young. There were also concerns that the non-profits where the marijuana is grown could become targets for crime if they are set up as storefront operations, which the bill would allow.

"Some people believe that smoking marijuana is beneficial to them and relieves pain," said Sen. David Hann, Eden Prairie, who described the measure as "very troubling."Marijuana is a dangerous drug. We have decided we are going to circumvent all those procedures used to handle dangerous drugs."

The vote today was the first time a medical marijuana bill has made it to a floor vote in either the House or Senate in Minnesota, the culmination of almost a decade of attempts by supporters to garner legislative approval.

A similar measure passed House Finance Committee today and is headed to the House Ways and Means Committee before a possible floor vote. The vote in the House, which changed into a DFL-majority in November, is likely to be more problematic for supporters than in the Senate, where it reached the floor in 2006 before dying without a vote when the Legislature adjourned. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has sympathized with objections to the law from law enforcement and has said he would veto a bill establishing medical marijuana.

Patients who qualify would include those suffering debilitating conditions and intractable pain such as cancer, glaucoma, AIDS-HIV, and Tourette's Syndrome.

 

kcbennie

Congratulations!

So does that make 13 states now?

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Lothar121

No, it still has to make it through the house, and the governor has suggested that he will veto the legislation.

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kcbennie

Well I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Buzzby

First, marijuana is the least dangerous drug that people commonly use. Aspirin is much more toxic and harmful to the body.

Second, the only reason marijuana can't be controlled in the same way as other prescription drugs is that the federal government refuses to look at the evidence that supports its medical use. As long as that goes on, states can't impose "all those procedures used to handle dangerous drugs".

Sick people need a drug that alleviates their symptoms and won't cause harm itself. In many cases, marijuana is that drug. Denying them access to the medication they need because other people use it recreationally is both illogical and immoral. "Illogical" because far more dangerous drugs that are also used recreationally are available by prescription. "Immoral" because there is no good reason to force people to suffer needlessly.

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16204ever

Buzzby, do you think anyone on this site (a) would disagree or (b) didn't know that?

You have great things to say, and you say them well.

No offense, sir, I only hope you say them on sites that are frequented by people that need to be told that.

This is one of the greatest sites on the 'net, but using it to get a message out is like trying to convert people who sign up at a seminary to be priests.

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imported_squirrel_master

if it does pass it will be 14.

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and weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Murdock

I have to beg to differ with you a bit. Well not on the greatest sites on the net point, because truth be told, marijuana.com is! What you may not have considered is this, as a high profile (perhaps even THE highest profile marijuana legalization site) on the net there are many unique visitors here. There are quite literally hundreds of thousands of unique readers who read these forums, the majority of posters here, yes true we're pro legalization, but at the same time there are many and in fact I venture to say the majority of the LURKERS are not. So Buzzby's replies such as the above serve a vital purpose.