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HOUSE REVERSES ON MEDICAL MARIJANA VOTE
by Diana M. Alba, Santa Fe Bureau, (Source:Alamogordo Daily News)
Regional News
14 Mar 2007
New Mexico
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SANTA FE -- In a reversal of a decision last week, the House approved a measure Tuesday to legalize marijuana use for medical purposes.

The House, on a 35-25 vote, passed a Senate bill that will allow patients to seek approval from the state to use marijuana to treat certain diseases. Thursday, the House on a 33-36 vote objected to a similar proposal.

Gov. Bill Richardson had said earlier in the day Tuesday he was working on House members to get them to reconsider their vote.

Legislators repeated several arguments that were made last week.

Supporters of the measure maintained that medical marijuana use will help ease pain among sufferers of certain diseases, while opponents contended an approval will give children the impression lawmakers support illegal drug use.

Rep. John Heaton, D-Carlsbad, a pharmacist, said medical benefits of marijuana are limited, and the drug could worsen some medical problems.

"That it has all this wonderful relief is not true," he said. "It's a weak anti-nauseant; there are much better products on the market. It's a very weak pain killer."

But bill proponent Rep. Antonio "Moe" Maestas, D-Albuquerque, said there's evidence from studies that marijuana can aid ill patients.

"If it does have detrimental side effects, it may have far exceeding benefits," he said.

Rep. Bill Rehm, R-Albuquerque, said by approving the bill the Legislature sends the message it's giving tacit approval to narcotics, when the state has a drug abuse problem.

"I think that's the wrong message," he said.

Other lawmakers, including Rep. Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque, said the Legislature's approval won't prompt drug use among children.

"I'm not worried about the message we're sending our children, because we have a lot of dangerous pharmaceuticals that are prescribed by physicians," she said. "Because those are legal, we're not telling our children it's OK to use them."

Conditions that would be treatable with marijuana under the bill include cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, epilepsy and AIDs. Patients would have had to seek approval from the state and carry a registration card in order to use medical marijuana.

Rep. Manuel Herrera, D-Bayard, said he'd never consider marijuana as a treatment, despite having survived five bouts with cancer.

"I've never had to take marijuana for pain," he said. "I have grandkids ' and I'm not going to fill up my office or my home with marijuana smoke."

Rep. Teresa Zanetti, R-Albuquerque, said she opposed the measure because there isn't strong evidence that marijuana is a useful medication.

"We've heard some very compelling stories, but we shouldn't make policy based on emotion," she said.

Maestas said that wasn't his motivation for supporting the legislation.

"I didn't do it because of emotionalism but because it seemed reasonable to me," he said.

Rep. Larry Larranaga, R-Albuquerque, a bill opponent, attached an amendment to the measure that would keep marijuana for medical purposes from being distributed near schools. Other attempts to change the bill such as attaching a condition that it wouldn't become effective until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves marijuana as a drug were rejected by the House.

The state Health Department is tasked with setting up rules for medical marijuana use, according to the bill.

The measure is Senate Finance Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 523.

Because the bill was amended by the House, it must return to the Senate for approval. After that, Richardson must sign it for it to become law.

Thursday's Votes

Nathan Cote, yes; Gloria Vaughn, no; Dub Williams, yes; Nora Espinoza, no; Daniel Foley, yes; William Gray, no.

Tuesday's Votes

Nathan Cote, yes; Gloria Vaughn, no; Dub Williams, yes; Nora Espinoza, no; Daniel Foley, yes; William Gray, yes.

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Spiffy

Don't jump the gun, yet. The Senate and then the governor still have to approve it. Still, it's a good sign.

SacredJellybean

The governor is against this.

He'll simply veto the bill, and (I'm guessing) without 2/3rds of the Senate's approval, he can't override it. I hate to be the pessimist here, but I don't see it happening.

There is a subset of people who find marijuana to be the most effective medication for them. Just because it's considered unconventional is no reason to deny these sick people the treatment that works best for them, especially if it's a terminally ill patient. I'd like to see this asshole's doctorate credentials.

It's an even WORSE message when you lack compassion to the point where you deny people medication that reportedly works most effectively for themselves.

Good to see some sense among the other House members.

Um... here's an idea: THEN DON'T. You choose your medication, and let other people choose theirs. That's the great thing about capitalism! You'll be free to wallow in your own ignorance about that evil satanic weed, indoctrinating your grandchildren to believe the same, while those who reap the benefits of marijuana's therapeutic value can peacefully coexist. Sounds reasonable, no? Oh, sorry, it slipped my mind that propaganda and medical tyranny are the most viable solutions.

More ignorance. Surprise, surprise!

It's a policy based on results, not emotion. It's simply not true that empirical evidence doesn't exist to prove that marijuana is an effective medication. This kind of talk really pisses me off... if only these representatives could experience the lives of people who retain adverse side-effects from mainstream painkillers for one week or month. Fucking pricks.

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Plainsman1963

Jeez, first the title is wrong. NM hasn't legalized anything yet. This is just a step closer.

Second, the governor is pro MM. He was talking about getting them to reconsider their vote after they voted it down.

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ADIDAS

Great point! For real, just because its legal for medicine, doesnt mean you have to take it. I mean jeez!

This is a pretty cool story though. I am not completely offended by the arguments. They have more sense to them than most anti-jane people. I just hate it when people completely lie to keep it from healing the sick.

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Darque Pervert

I just had a great thought....

The TX Governor is trying to make it mandatory for school-age girls to get vaccinated for this virus that causes cervical cancer.
That's stupid...

But what about the idea of making it mandatory for everyone to smoke?

SHit. I just buzzkilled my own idea.

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Vicki

Yeah, the Gardisil vaccine for cervical cancer. I think it is a great step forward for women, but it is brand new, and no one knows the side effects. I wont have to worry about my daughter having to take it for a while, but if she were that age, I'd fight it if it were mandatory. It should be an individual/parents choice.

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D0oBee

I have never intentionally used the Ganja for medical uses although I am sure it has some. I suffer from chronic (no Pun) sinusitis and have found that marijuana relieves the pressure and facial pain very nicely. I also just like to get high so its a win/win really.

Next step, get the bible belt to loosen up a bit on thier MJ laws....

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SacredJellybean

Ah, you're right. I misread the article the first time through. I thought the governor was trying to get the house to reconsider their most recent vote.

Zandijuana

I live in TX, and suprisingly I actually support this. I'm all for independent choices and actions, but I think people are opposing this too hard, I mean... it's just a shot