Pubdate: Fri, 17 Jan 2014
Source: Standard-Speaker (Hazleton, PA)
Copyright: 2014 The Standard-Speaker
Contact:  http://www.standardspeaker.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1085
Page: A16

SENATE PLANS HEARING ON MARIJUANA BILL

HARRISBURG (AP) - A bill to allow the use of marijuana for medical
purposes in Pennsylvania will be the subject of a legislative hearing
this month, the chairman of a state Senate committee announced Thursday.

Law and Justice Committee Chairman Chuck McIlhinney scheduled a public
hearing for Jan. 28 in the state Capitol on the proposal that was
introduced this week. Seven members of the 50-person Senate have
signed on as sponsors.

A spokesman for Gov. Tom Corbett said he remains opposed, even if the
bill is scaled back to allow only nonintoxicating forms of marijuana.

In its current form, the 34-page bill would permit people with medical
needs and a doctor's approval to obtain an identification card that
would allow them to acquire marijuana legally. It would create the
Medical Cannabis Board and an enforcement arm within the state police.

"There are sick children who have medicine that will make them better,
but under current Pennsylvania law they are not allowed to take it,"
said a leading sponsor, Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery. "They are
allowed to take much more toxic, less effective medicine."

Leach said he was confident the bill will pass if it gets Corbett's
support, but the governor's spokesman said Thursday his position has
not changed.

"The FDA is the arbiter of the safety and efficacy of all drugs, all
substances that are ingested," Corbett press secretary Jay Pagni said.
"If the FDA were to run a clinical trial, the governor would be
interested in the findings."

Twenty states and Washington, D.C., currently have some form of public
medical marijuana program, according to the National Conference of
State Legislatures. Two states have legalized it for nonmedical
purposes as well.
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MAP posted-by: Matt