Senate votes to allow use of medical marijuana

HometownSource.com

by T.W. Budig

Why are people so afraid of dealing with end of life issues, asked Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon, DFL-Duluth, debating the use of medical marijuana.

The Senate today (April 29) in a bipartisan vote 36 to 28 vote approved legislation allowing for the use of medical marijuana in Minnesota.

The Senate has passed similar legislation before.

The House has yet to hear its medical marijuana bill — one supported by such conservative Republicans as Tom Hackbarth and Mark Buesgens — on the House floor.

The bill, carried by Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia, is in the House Finance Committee.

No committee hearing has been scheduled.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty does not support the use of medical marijuana.

Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing, styled his medical marijuana bill as designed to alleviate the suffering of those confronting “intractable pain” — cancer, glaucoma, other diseases.

He acknowledged that law enforcement associations do not support the bill.

But he indicated that more than 50 recommendations made by law enforcement were written into his bill.

Some of the provisions in the bill deal with ID cards, exemption from arrest, amounts of medical marijuana that can be possessed, the establishment of felonies for breaking provisions in the law.

Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, endorsed the bill.

“This is a life issue — it’s about somebody dying,” said Koering.

His mother’s death caused him to rethink the medical marijuana debate and change into a supporter of its use, Koering explained.

But both Democrat and Republican lawmakers slammed the bill as a means for criminals to obtain to marijuana, for greatly expanding the prevalence of the drug, and of sending the wrong message to young people.

Sen. Mary Olson, DFL-Bemidji, called one provision in the bill “very ambiguous and contradictory.”

Prettner Solon, a clinical psychologist, said she has treated people with chemical abuse problems and believes that marijuana is indeed a “gateway drug.”

But she argued the legislation’s focus was on the dying — questions of addiction were irrelevant in these cases.

Why are people so afraid, she asked.

Medical marijuana would “allow them (the dying) to leave with dignity and peace,” she said.

Local lawmakers voting in favor: Betzold, Carlson, Chaudhary, Doll, Erickson Ropes, Foley, Johnson, Koering, Metzen, Rummel, Sieben, and Wiger.

Local lawmakers opposed: Fobbe, Gerlach, Jungbauer, Koch, Limmer, Olseen, Robling, and Vandeveer.

According to her office, Sen Pat Pariseau, R-Farmington, did not vote on the bill because she was sick.

Date: 04/29/09