St. Paul Pioneer Press. by Christopher Snowbeck
Impetus for medical marijuana legislation in the Senate to build.
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a Bill Wednesday by Senator Scott Dibble patients who access medical conditions would allow up to 2.5 grams of marijuana for certain, ahead, DFL-Minneapolis,.
In the vote, the Committee recommended not the Bill. But Dibble welcomed the result, saying the Bill bipartisan support for the Senate Finance Committee progress allows.
The vote followed testimony by law enforcement agencies against the law.
"We consider just as some harmless substance, but instead as an addictive drug, as well as a gateway drug to see not marijuana," said Dennis Flaherty of the Minnesota police and peace officers Association.
Senator Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, asked whether Flaherty would be more comfortable with the invoice if not allow patients to smoke marijuana.
Flaherty do not make the change, and replied that the law enforcement agencies under marijuana could support some patients in a clinical research study in certain forms. Earlier this year, Governor Mark Dayton laid a plan for such studies.
But supporters have criticism of the idea of medical marijuana, studies say will take years to complete and not all patients who could benefit from cannabis help.
The statement said "A program with people who suffer from debilitating medical illnesses (might) have to handle access to cannabis and relieve some of the symptoms which would them to fight," Dibble.
Doctors would confirm that patients could benefit from marijuana. Patients get an ID card from the State Health Department, so that she could get a new network of dispensaries cannabis.
In support of the Bill, there were emotional testimony Wednesday. Kristy Pauling said her family hopes that with access to medical marijuana, her daughter seizure disorder is monitored and the girl life extended.
"You would think the hardest part was the diagnosis," Pauling testified, "but it is her two older siblings indicative that her sister is going to die."
Law enforcement authorities said that marijuana to expand access to the medicine in Minnesota, and so looking for problems...
"Marijuana probably one is the the most common abused controlled substances in Minnesota," said Mona Dohman, Commissioner of the State Department of public safety.
Christopher Snowbeck 651-228-5479 accessible. Follow him at www.twitter.com/ Chrissnowbeck. ___
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