Pubdate: Sun, 22 Feb 2009
Source: Helena Independent Record (MT)
Copyright: 2009 Helena Independent Record
Contact:  http://helenair.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1187
Author: Mike Dennison
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL ADVANCES BY ONE VOTE

By a single vote, the state Senate Saturday endorsed a bill designed 
to give medical-marijuana patients easier access to the drug they say 
relieves agonizing pain for a range of chronic diseases.

"This is not about getting high," Sen. Steve Gallus, D-Butte, said as 
he tried to convince fellow senators to vote for the bill. "It's 
about medicine. It's about access to health care. If you have just a 
little bit of courage and a whole bunch of compassion, you can 
realize this is a health care issue."

The 25-24 vote in favor of Senate Bill 326 sets up a final, binding 
vote early next week in the Senate, which could send the measure on 
to the House or possibly kill it, if a few votes change.

Five Republicans - Sens. Dave Lewis of Helena, Jerry Black of Shelby, 
Terry Murphy of Cardwell, John Brueggeman of Polson and Bruce 
Tudtvedt of Kalispell - joined 20 Democrats in voting for the measure.

Two Democrats - Sens. Ken Hansen of Harlem and Sharon Stewart-Peregoy 
of Crow Agency - joined 22 Republicans against it. Democratic Sen. 
Larry Jent of Bozeman was out of town and not present for the vote.

SB326, sponsored by Sen. Ron Erickson, D-Missoula, makes several 
changes to the medical-marijuana law that Montana voters put into 
place by initiative in 2004.

It increases the amount of marijuana that a patient or "caregiver" 
can possess from one ounce to three ounces; allows patients to get 
the drug from more than one licensed caregiver; allows licensed 
growers to have six "mature" plants rather than just six plants; and 
adds some additional medical conditions or diseases that can be 
legally treated by marijuana, such as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes 
and post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Erickson said the bill makes practical changes in the program so it 
will work better for those who need it.

He told of a medical-marijuana patient who lives near Broadus in 
rural, southeastern Montana, who often runs out of the drug because 
of the restrictions of the current program.

Right now, she has to have someone drive 200 miles to Miles City to 
get a single ounce from her designated caregiver, who doesn't always 
have enough supply, Erickson said.

"Pain is not partisan; pain is not political," he said. "If you had 
heard the people (testify) whose pain has been relieved, you would 
say yes (to the bill)."

Opponents raise several objections, including that SB326 takes the 
medical-marijuana program well beyond what voters chose in 2004.

"This is a very large expansion of something that the people of 
Montana never expected," said Sen. Roy Brown, R-Billings. "This isn't 
what the people of Montana voted for."

Others worried about a line in the bill that said no one can be fired 
from a job or kicked out of a rental home solely for being a licensed 
medical-marijuana caregiver or patient.

And some simply objected to expanding a program that provides a drug 
still illegal under most circumstances.

"I believe it's a nightmare for law enforcement in the making, and I 
do not want to see this state completely go to pot," said Sen. Greg 
Hinkle, R-Thompson Falls.

Erickson said if the bill gets to the House, he would consider 
amendments to address worries over the employment and rental language.

But the most compelling remarks Saturday came from those whose 
friends or relatives had used marijuana to relieve horrible pain - or 
could have used it.

Sen. Murphy, one of the five Republicans who voted for the bill, told 
of his father, who died from cancer in his 50s and in his last year 
of life could rarely eat because of constant nausea and pain.

"When I realized what these people were talking about, and thinking 
that we now have this knowledge of what this natural plant product 
can do to relieve people, I can only wish that we'd had this 
knowledge a half-century ago," he said. "If you had a loved one or 
watched what my dad went through you wouldn't want to hinder (those 
who need it) from getting it."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom