Another pot OK

The Bemidji Pioneer

By Don Davis, Minn. State Capitol Bureau

Bills allowing critically ill patients to use marijuana to ease pain continue to pass through committees.

The Senate Health and Human Services Budget Division on Tuesday approved the bill, written by Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing. Today, it faces another House committee test. Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia, sponsors the House version.

In Tuesday committee debate, Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon, DFL-Duluth, said that allowing marijuana use is an easy, simple and affordable solution to ease pain. Many pain medications are not affordable, she said.

The point of the bill "is to reduce people's pain in their final days," she said

Date: 03/11/09