Pubdate: Wed, 12 Mar 2014
Source: Free Press, The (MN)
Copyright: 2014 Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.mankatofreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2566
Author: Mike Cronin, Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA TALKS AT STALEMATE

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- A key Minnesota lawmaker said Tuesday she 
doesn't see a path forward for legalizing medical marijuana after 
talks with law enforcement hit a standstill.

Rep. Carly Melin said she had conceded to virtually all demands from 
law enforcement over the weekend but was still unable to get their 
support for her bill. Melin said she had no choice but to postpone a 
House committee hearing that would have been lawmakers' second look 
at the issue.

"Law enforcement won't support any bill that would result in helping 
any patients," Melin, DFL-Hibbing, said in an interview with The 
Associated Press. "The governor has to get involved."

House Speaker Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, said in an email that 
"it does not appear to me that a compromise is going to happen this session."

Champlin Police Chief Dave Kolb, co-chairman of the Minnesota Chiefs 
of Police Association, said in an email that state law-enforcement 
groups believe Melin's latest bill still "would result in increased 
youth access and use of marijuana, that it would too easily be 
misused for the illegal transportation of marijuana, and the list of 
qualifying medical conditions was too broad and ripe for abuse."

Gov. Mark Dayton didn't immediately respond to emails to staff 
seeking comment. Dayton has said he won't support any bill that law 
enforcement doesn't back.

Melin said she didn't see where the two sides could go to reach agreement.

Melin said she had agreed to drop an option for patients to smoke 
marijuana and to impose a penalty for smoking marijuana. She also 
said she had agreed to replace "severe and debilitating pain" as a 
condition for use with "intractable pain" to reduce the number of 
people who would qualify. She also agreed to require the state health 
commissioner to consult with law enforcement to set public safety 
standards for the program.

Medical marijuana is allowed in 20 states and Washington, D.C.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom