First the good news:
(Twin Cities Pioneer Press) After a decade of debate, the Minnesota House and Senate have passed versions of a bill that would sanction medical marijuana use in the state.
The House — taking up the issue for the first time — narrowly approved a version this evening, 70-64. The Senate, which had approved a version last month, then approved the House’s version 38-28.
The bill now heads to Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
Now the bad news:
The House version was narrowed considerably from the Senate bill. A provision allowing patients to grow their own marijuana plants was removed, and a controversial amendment restricted the use of marijuana to terminally ill patients suffering a debilitating illness.
The latter amendment removes medical marijuana eligibility for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy who need the drug to combat nausea.
A medical marijuana law that doesn’t allow cancer patients to use it? Only terminally ill patients? And they can’t grow their own, they must get their medicine from state-licensed dispensaries? Let’s see, who’s not terminally ill… federal marijuana patient Elvy Musikka wouldn’t qualify for her glaucoma. Federal marijuana patient Irv Rosenfeld wouldn’t qualify for his painful bone disease. People living with AIDS, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig’s, Alzheimer’s, they’re not necessarily terminal. Certainly chronic migraines and other chronic pain wouldn’t qualify. Same goes for the chronic nausea common among gastro-intestinal disorders.
Gov. Pawlenty has promised to veto the medical marijuana bill and as amended, I can’t say I’d be too broken up about that. Most Minnesotans aren’t going to realize how flawed this bill is and if the Governor signs it, much of the public will be satisfied that they are the 14th medical marijuana state and the issue will subside. Better that he veto this awful bill. It will stir up reaction to medical marijuana passing the House and Senate but being stymied by one man, which will help efforts to run medical marijuana as a statewide initiative for a constitutional amendment. The initiative would have to have better language (at least protect cancer patients, for gawdsakes!) and as a constitutional amendment, it would be far safer from the meddling hands of law enforcement’s pawns in the House.
I have PTSD and pretty serious anxiety (to the point I dont sleep at night), and i’ve taken enough medication that I know have ulcers from. My GF has MS and neither of us drink, both of us are college educated and gainfully employed. I spend alot of my days volunteering for the homeless and actually went to LA to help out with Katrina for two years. We both want the bill passed. Immediately! Enough with the BS propaganda.
Again, how is the medical marijuana card “abused”, because people you don’t think are sick enough can get one? California’s law states that a doctor may recommend medical marijuana for any conditions the doctor believes marijuana will provide relief. So maybe that’s insomnia, and you see a perfectly-healthy looking person getting marijuana at a dispensary and you consider it “abuse”. Meanwhile, that guy with insomnia is sleeping well at night. Who are you to judge?
problem w medical weed clearly is the the non sick all of a sudden go to the DR and get the weed card and abuse it They ruined it for the true sick And honestly NORML actsl like they care about hthe true sick but meanwhile everyone in Cali abuses the weed card privalage
UPDATE: Minnesota doesn’t have citizen initiatives. http://tr.im/lSPw but they can vote on constitutional amendments placed before them by the legislature.
Stoke the fires of indignant protest.
Smoke the herb we love the best.
That is what “Stoke it and smoke it” means.
They can’t take my job ’cause I am retired.
I can say what I want and I won’t get fired.
With piglets led on leashes down the streets with a mission.
And Willie on my shirt saying… “End Prohibition”.
@ Chai I have only lived in MN for a few years. Is this a constitutional state where we may petition the government to get it placed on the ballot and let “We the People” decide? I think with growing support, and it is growing, we can make legalization real. Not just medical marijuana, but “freedom and justice for all” to use, or not to use.
@chai wallah nicol: lmao wow i think my dick just grew! u should be a motivational speaker str8 up! Honestly NO MORE SILENCE!!!
Sadly, as a Minnesota resident for 25 years and an activist volunteer for a reasonable medical marijuana bill, I am disappointed and despairing of Minnesota’s feeble bill that gutted the bill for thousand of patients suffering from MS, rheumatoid arthritis, non-terminal cancer, etc ad nauseum. Let Paulenty veto this pathetic bill and go to direct action to shake up the apathetic voters who are living in their cocoons. I issue a direct call to all Minnesotan cannabis users and supporters to come out of their closets and proudly declare we’re here; we’re stoners and we’re not going away!!! Wear cannabis T-shirts, get a cannabis leaf tatoo (my choice), join an organization like NORML or MPP (my choice); and for the sake of life
, declare your pro cannabis positions to one and all and damn the consequences. No more lies; no more persecution; and no more silence!!!
Marijuana prohibition has been a total failure and is perhaps this country’s greatest mistake. Not only has it created criminals out of nearly a third of the country’s populace, it costs our society billions of dollars every year, creates a strain on our prison system, and has little or no effect on marijuana use in the US. In some cases, prosecuting marijuana use has turned non-violent, middle class kids into violent and unpredictable, career criminals. Once a person has a criminal conviction on their record, they are far less likely to find a good job and become a useful member of society. Other countries with more liberal drug laws have much lower rates of drug addiction among their people. I invite you to my web-page devoted to raising awareness on the assault on our civil liberties: http://freethegods.blogspot.com/
WHat the hell is wrong with people! IF DIEING CANCER,AIDS,AND SUFFERING GLAUCOMA PATIENTS DONT QUALIFY THEN WHO THE HELL DOES!!!!!!!!????? im definatley with russ on this..i hope it doesnt pass cuz 1 itd show how much of a douche the gov. is and 2nd if passed the people who really need it wont be able 2 get it so what the point of it passing?
My state senator, Skoe, was in favor of the bill as it was, but voted against it with the changes this time around.
I totally have to agree with Russ on this one. Letting it pass, would only make the issue subside. Opponents will only say, “What else do you want… “They legalized it…” Yea whatever.
My dad died this last Christmas eve. He suffered (and I use that term loosely) from terminal lung cancer from over 50 years of smoking cigarettes.
They gave him 6-8 months to live, even with chemo, but he lasted an amazing 5 years. I watched a proud man slide into complete sadness because he could no longer do even simple things like even take a shower without going through some sort of discomfort. I wasn’t quite the advocate then as I am now, however I offered him a few times to get high, as it would help relieve the pain and then maybe he would eat…. I just wanted him to eat… ANYTHING… Anyhow, He refused to smoke it ONLY because it was illegal. He didn’t worry about “reefer madness” (we had a whole thing of morphine in the cabinet that he never used, he didn’t like how it affected him.), He just didn’t want to get caught with marijuana, even in his own home. How fricken’ sad is that?
Have you ever seen what chemo therapy does to the human body? Whatever state you live in – Please do not let cancer patients (or anyone for that matter) to suffer. The time for change is now, and it is sad to see how opponents take a good measure and mess it all up.
Peace out
Fidget
PS. Save Eddy Lepp
Here is a little different take…
http://tr.im/lMnY