Committee Votes 6-2 Against Legalization

OKLAHOMA CITY - A Senate committee on Monday defeated a proposal to legalize the medical use of marijuana in Oklahoma, but the bill's author said she considers it a victory that the measure was even granted a legislative hearing.

Members of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted 6-2 against the measure in a party-line vote with Republicans in opposition.

"I consider it a victory for the citizens of this state," said Sen. Constance Johnson, D-Oklahoma City, who has introduced several bills over the last six years to allow for the medical use of marijuana or ease the penalties for possession of the drug. "I think it's a step in the right direction in terms of moving it forward and getting some indication of what people's reservations are so we'll know what to address."

The bill would have allowed a qualified patient or designated caregiver to possess up to 8 ounces of dried marijuana and 12 plants.

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A measure that would no longer make second and subsequent charges of possessing marijuana a felony in Oklahoma remains alive, despite skepticism from several members on a legislative committee.

"I believe that while our constituents don't support us coming down here and legalizing it, I do believe that they support us being smart on crime," said Rep. Cory Williams, author of House Bill 1835. "We're not being soft on it; we're not legalizing it."

Williams, D-Stillwater, agreed Wednesday to stop a committee hearing on his measure so he could do more work on it, in particular, coming up with a maximum number of charges in which a simple marijuana possession could result in a felony.

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Four years ago, Michelle Obama picked up a shovel and made a powerful symbolic statement about America's food and farm future: She turned a patch of White House lawn into a working organic garden.

That was a great move, earning kudos from just about everyone this side of Monsanto and the pesticide lobby. But now, as she begins another four years in the people's mansion, the first lady is probably asking herself: "How can I top that? What can I do this time around to plant a crop of common sense in our country's political soil that will link America's farmers, consumers, environment and grassroots economy into one big harvest of common good?"

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State Sen. Constance Johnson continues her fight to allow medical marijuana use in Oklahoma. The Forest Park Democrat has again filed legislation seeking to adopt rules allowing medical marijuana use in the state.

This is not her first attempt. Sen. Johnson's never got a committee hearing this past year. Her plan would direct the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision to develop rules that allow physicians to prescribe marijuana for patients with debilitating medical conditions.

She also proposes developing rules for licensing, production, distribution and consumption of marijuana. The Senate's chair of Health and Human Service Committee declined a hearing request last year, saying it was a federal issue.

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A legislator who couldn't get an interim study last fall on the benefits of medical marijuana has filed two measures to ease the state's tough marijuana laws.

Sen. Constance Johnson, D-Forest Park, has filed separate bills to establish a medical marijuana program in Oklahoma and to reduce the penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana.

Senate Bill 902 would direct the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision to develop and adopt rules that allow people with debilitating medical conditions to use marijuana with approval from their physicians and to establish fees for the "licensing, production, distribution and consumption" of marijuana for medical purposes.

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The war on marijuana is going up in smoke, and it's about time. There is no bigger waste of money and resources in all law enforcement.

Failure is too polite a description for the long campaign to eliminate the pot trade in the United States. A colossal flop is what it is. After four decades and billions spent, marijuana is easier to get, and more potent, than ever.

More than 40 percent of all Americans over 12 have tried it, and at least 30 million people smoke it every year. The most recent national drug survey found that 18.1 million Americans had used it during the previous month.

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