Pubdate: Sun, 20 Jan 2008
Source: Hutchinson News, The (KS)
Copyright: 2008 The Hutchinson News
Contact:  http://www.hutchnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1551
Author: Darcy Gray, The Hutchinson News
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)

DRUG, COAL PLANTS TOP ISSUES AT FORUM

Five area legislators were in town Saturday for an opportunity to 
interact with the public, and two hot topics were medical marijuana 
and the coal-fired plant debate.

Sen. Terry Bruce, along with Reps. Mark Treaster, Jan Pauls, Mike 
O'Neil and Bob Bethell visited the Hutchinson Community College 
campus for the first of three local legislative forums, where 
citizens peppered the lawmakers with questions.

One of the first questions submitted in the forum requested 
legislators' opinions on medical marijuana, and whether they would 
favor the issue if they received more letters of support from the public.

"At the federal level, it's still illegal," Rep. Bob Bethell said. 
"If we're going to use it in that regard, we should treat it like 
other prescription drugs."

Bethell said if medical marijuana was legalized in Kansas, officials 
should regulate the use and strength of the drug, and not allow it to 
be open to the marketplace "like in California."

"Marijuana here in Kansas isn't that good," he said. "It wouldn't 
help you much."

Bethell also said he doesn't get many letters "one way or the other," 
and he wouldn't base his decision on one letter.

Rep. Treaster agreed with Bethell that if medical marijuana was 
legalaized in Kansas, it would need to be regulated.

Rep. Mike O'Neil, however, said he thinks medical marijuana may not 
be the best way to ease a person's pain. He did think, however, that 
there was an FDA-approved pill available that has marijuana's 
beneficial elements for pain.

As far as how much one citizen's opinion might affect him, O'Neil 
said oftentimes decisions are not based on "how many people call you, 
but what you learn from those telephone calls."

Another question submitted from the audience of about 50 people asked 
for the legislators' opinions on "one person having the authority to 
say no to coal-fired plants in western Kansas."

Sen. Terry Bruce said he was "deeply troubled" by one person going 
outside their scope of authority to reject a project - referring to 
Kansas Secretary of Health and Environment Rod Bremby's denial of 
Sunflower Electric's permit to build coal-fired plants.

Bremby has cited the plants' 11 million tons of carbon dioxide 
emissions, which he believes would contribute to global warming, as 
his reason for denying the permit in October.

"We're a nation of laws, not a nation of whims," Sen. Bruce said.

Sen. Bruce pointed out Sunflower had "gone over every Legislative 
hurdle" and gained approval from the Kansas Department of Health and 
Environment before "it came down to the secretary saying no."

"When did carbon dioxide emissions begin being regulated in Kansas? 
Never," he said. "What standards do companies need to follow? There 
are no specifications."

He said the decision sent business leaders, especially in the ethanol 
plant business, "in a tailspin."

"Any ethanol plants scheduled to break ground have put Kansas at the 
back of their list," he said. "Without knowing what the carbon 
regulations are, they're worried about being denied a permit."

Rep. Bethell agreed there was a "lot of flawed logic" in the decision 
that needs a look.

Rep. O'Neil said simply the decision "had an odor to it," indicating 
there were individuals who made sure "somehow, some way," they would 
get the outcome they wanted from Bremby's decision.

Treaster said Kansas needs tto work on energy regulations and look 
for alternative sources of energy, so citizens will not have to rely 
on foreign oil forever.

Rep. Pauls, who also had "real qualms" about the decision, believed 
lawmakers should've been discussing energy regulations two years ago.

[sidebar]

IF YOU GO ...

What: Legislative forums, sponsored by Hutchinson/ Reno County 
Chamber of Commerce and AT&T.

When and where: The second Legislative forum is 9:30 a.m. Feb. 23 at 
Wesley Towers, 700 Monterey Place. The third forum is 9:30 a.m. March 
29 at Mennonite Manor, South Hutchinson.

Cost: The forums are free and open to the public.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake