Senate Passes Bill To Permit Medical Marijuana Use

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Senate Passes Bill To Permit Medical Marijuana Use
Posted by CN Staff on May 01, 2007 at 13:21:59 PT
By Mark Brunswick, Star Tribune
Source: Star-Tribune

medical Minnesota -- 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.

Note: For the first time, a chamber of the Minnesota Legislature approved medical use of marijuana in defiance of federal law.

SF345: http://tinyurl.com/3b475z

Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune (MN)
Author: Mark Brunswick, Star Tribune
Published: May 01, 2007
Copyright: 2007 Star Tribune
Contact: [email protected]
Website: http://www.startribune.com/

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