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.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D