Pubdate: Fri, 16 May 2014 Source: Mesabi Daily News (MN) Copyright: 2014 Mesabi Daily News Contact: http://www.virginiamn.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2565 Author: Katie G. Nelson, Legislative Correspondent Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) MEDICAL MARIJUANA GETS OK Compromise Measure Reached; Dayton to Sign It ST. PAUL -- A hybrid resolution legalizing medical marijuana is on its way to becoming law when the Senate, House and Gov. Mark Dayton announced their support of the bill Thursday. The measure was spearheaded by DFL Rep. Carly Melin of Hibbing. "The fact that we were able to come together with an agreement that is going to be signed into law is thrilling for a lot of people who have been fighting very, very hard, through blood sweat and tears in order get something done this session," Melin said during a press conference Thursday afternoon. Standing beside Sen. Scott Dibble, who authored the Senate's version of the bill, Melin explained that the new agreement would serve more than 5,000 eligible Minnesotans through a statewide medical marijuana registry program. Included in the list of supporters was the governor, who said in a statement that he was willing to sign the new measure into law. "This bill is citizen government at its best. It has been led by parents, who deeply love their children, are anguished by their pain, and insist their government try to help them," Dayton said. Thursday's agreement requires that eligible patients apply to the Commissioner of Health for consideration into the new program, which will begin supplying medical cannabis to seriously ill Minnesotans by July 2015 via eight distribution sites across the state. The new measure also requires that health care providers supply ongoing reports about the patient's health status while using the drug. Ultimately, the authors hope that this data will help the scientific community better understand the effects of medical cannabis on eligible conditions Though the program does approve the use of medical marijuana in a liquid, pill or vaporized delivery form, it does not allow the utilization or smoking of dried marijuana leaves or whole plants for medical purposes -- a setback for some Minnesotans who would otherwise benefit from cannabis Dibble said. "To be sure, there are folks who may not get what they need from this proposal," said Dibble, adding that "intractable pain" -- a condition not currently included on the eligible illness list -- will be one of the first reviewed for possible future inclusion. Post-traumatic stress disorder was not included in the list. Illnesses such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, Tourette's Syndrome, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), seizures, Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn's Disease and terminal illnesses with a life expectancy of less than one year, are all conditions that are eligible for the program. Several families set to benefit from the medical cannabis program attended Thursday's press conference, including Angie Weaver and her daughter, Amelia, of Hibbing. Amelia, 8, has Dravet syndrome, a disorder that causes uncontrollable seizures dozens of times a day. Her mother said she hopes medical marijuana will help control her daughter's condition, which has left Amelia unable to walk, talk or feed herself. "When we started this process in January, I never thought I'd be standing here today. This means the world for our family," Angie Weaver said. "I cannot thank Rep. Melin enough." Melin said she was "thrilled" with the new agreement and thanked fellow lawmakers and patient advocates for supporting the measure despite facing ongoing and public legislative roadblocks during much of this year's session. "I want to start out by thanking the patients who are standing up here with us ... who, this year, have spent just about as much time at the Capitol as we have," Melin said. "They have really been here to advocate for themselves, for their loved ones and for their friends in order to gain safe, legal access to medical cannabis. And I am thrilled that we were able to accomplish that." The House and Senate must still pass the new bill before sending it to the governor for his signature. Both bodies are planning on voting on the medical cannabis bill today. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D