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A Lancaster County senator is co-sponsoring a bill that would allow medical use of marijuana in Pennsylvania. State Sen. Mike Folmer, a Republican representing the 48th District, will introduce the bill along with his co-sponsor, state Sen. Daylin Leach, a Democrat from Montgomery and Delaware counties, during a press conference at 12:30 p.m. Monday at the Capitol.
The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act would legalize the use of medical marijuana by patients as prescribed by attending physicians. This is the first time in the history of the Pennsylvania Senate that a medical marijuana bill has been introduced with bipartisan support. In a Lancaster Newspapers article published Oct. 31, Folmer was the only senator representing Lancaster County – and the only Republican in either house of the state Legislature – to favor a bill allowing medical use of marijuana.
Rep. Mike Sturla, a Democrat representing Lancaster city, was the only member of the Lancaster County delegation to the state House to support House Bill 1181, a similar measure. Folmer said then that doctors are best able to make decisions regarding drug use. He said medical marijuana could be handled in the same way as narcotic painkillers such as Oxycontin, Vicodin and Percocet.
"Under the same strict supervision of my medical professional, why would I not be able to have medical marijuana prescribed?" he asked. "If it can help pain and suffering, why not?" He blamed widespread opposition on misinformation."Everyone seems to think that medical marijuana means they'll be sitting around smoking a doobie," he said. In fact, some forms of medical marijuana are an extract that is ingested, not smoked, and have no psychoactive effects.
Dana Ulrich of Reinholds, whose daughter, Lorelei, 6, suffers some 400 epileptic seizures per day, is a local champion of medical marijuana. Ulrich said no other medications have been able to help her daughter, although some doctors have said the marijuana extract could help. Folmer was unavailable for comment Thursday because of a family matter, according to a member of his staff.
Sen. Leach, in a press release issued late Thursday afternoon, said he applauds Folmer "on his decision to join our efforts to legalize medical marijuana in the commonwealth." "By working together on this important issue, my colleague and I are breaking new ground and taking huge strides toward allowing Pennsylvanians access to this life-changing and beneficial alternative form of treatment," Leach said. "That is nothing short of earth-shattering in the realm of Pennsylvania government."
Gov. Tom Corbett has said he'll veto any bill legalizing any form of marijuana in Pennsylvania. Fred Sembach, Folmer's chief of staff, said Thursday that the senator "is coming at this from the perspective that there are already prescriptions that are used for treatment for diseases and for pain. His thought is to treat medical marijuana the same way." Sembach said the new bill is modeled on Senate Bill 770, also known as the Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Act, which has been stalled in committee. He's not sure yet what form the final bill will take, he said. "We're looking at a number of different options," Sembach said. "This is still a work in progress." But he said Folmer "is optimistic" that the bill will find traction in Harrisburg – mostly because of its focus on marijuana as a prescription drug.
Senate Bill 770 instead made provisions for patients to register for the drug's use; with the proper identification card, patients would be allowed to be "in possession of no more than six marijuana plants and one ounce of usable marijuana," according to a draft on the Senate's website. "We're waiting to get some reaction," Sembach said. "We've been rather surprised by the amount of interest in it. ... I'm guessing next week we'll circulate the co-sponsorship memo and begin the process." The 48th District represents Lebanon County and parts of Berks, Chester, Dauphin and Lancaster counties. In Lancaster, Folmer's district covers Conoy, East Donegal, Mount Joy and West Donegal townships, and Elizabethtown and Marietta.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Lancasteronline.com
Author: Tom Knapp
Contact: Support - LancasterOnline.com - Powered by Kayako Resolve Help Desk Software
Website: Lancaster County senator to co-sponsor bill that would allow medical use of marijuana - News
The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act would legalize the use of medical marijuana by patients as prescribed by attending physicians. This is the first time in the history of the Pennsylvania Senate that a medical marijuana bill has been introduced with bipartisan support. In a Lancaster Newspapers article published Oct. 31, Folmer was the only senator representing Lancaster County – and the only Republican in either house of the state Legislature – to favor a bill allowing medical use of marijuana.
Rep. Mike Sturla, a Democrat representing Lancaster city, was the only member of the Lancaster County delegation to the state House to support House Bill 1181, a similar measure. Folmer said then that doctors are best able to make decisions regarding drug use. He said medical marijuana could be handled in the same way as narcotic painkillers such as Oxycontin, Vicodin and Percocet.
"Under the same strict supervision of my medical professional, why would I not be able to have medical marijuana prescribed?" he asked. "If it can help pain and suffering, why not?" He blamed widespread opposition on misinformation."Everyone seems to think that medical marijuana means they'll be sitting around smoking a doobie," he said. In fact, some forms of medical marijuana are an extract that is ingested, not smoked, and have no psychoactive effects.
Dana Ulrich of Reinholds, whose daughter, Lorelei, 6, suffers some 400 epileptic seizures per day, is a local champion of medical marijuana. Ulrich said no other medications have been able to help her daughter, although some doctors have said the marijuana extract could help. Folmer was unavailable for comment Thursday because of a family matter, according to a member of his staff.
Sen. Leach, in a press release issued late Thursday afternoon, said he applauds Folmer "on his decision to join our efforts to legalize medical marijuana in the commonwealth." "By working together on this important issue, my colleague and I are breaking new ground and taking huge strides toward allowing Pennsylvanians access to this life-changing and beneficial alternative form of treatment," Leach said. "That is nothing short of earth-shattering in the realm of Pennsylvania government."
Gov. Tom Corbett has said he'll veto any bill legalizing any form of marijuana in Pennsylvania. Fred Sembach, Folmer's chief of staff, said Thursday that the senator "is coming at this from the perspective that there are already prescriptions that are used for treatment for diseases and for pain. His thought is to treat medical marijuana the same way." Sembach said the new bill is modeled on Senate Bill 770, also known as the Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Act, which has been stalled in committee. He's not sure yet what form the final bill will take, he said. "We're looking at a number of different options," Sembach said. "This is still a work in progress." But he said Folmer "is optimistic" that the bill will find traction in Harrisburg – mostly because of its focus on marijuana as a prescription drug.
Senate Bill 770 instead made provisions for patients to register for the drug's use; with the proper identification card, patients would be allowed to be "in possession of no more than six marijuana plants and one ounce of usable marijuana," according to a draft on the Senate's website. "We're waiting to get some reaction," Sembach said. "We've been rather surprised by the amount of interest in it. ... I'm guessing next week we'll circulate the co-sponsorship memo and begin the process." The 48th District represents Lebanon County and parts of Berks, Chester, Dauphin and Lancaster counties. In Lancaster, Folmer's district covers Conoy, East Donegal, Mount Joy and West Donegal townships, and Elizabethtown and Marietta.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Lancasteronline.com
Author: Tom Knapp
Contact: Support - LancasterOnline.com - Powered by Kayako Resolve Help Desk Software
Website: Lancaster County senator to co-sponsor bill that would allow medical use of marijuana - News
