Robert Celt
New Member
After many months of backroom politics and delays, Pennsylvania lawmakers are expected to vote on legalizing medical marijuana in March.
The state House is expected to vote on a bill that was overwhelmingly approved by the state Senate.
But the Senate bill, SB 3, has been substantially amended and could well need to return to the Senate for another vote.
Latricia Bentch of Swatara Towship, who wants medical marijuana to treat her daughter's severe seizures, said the latest version of the bill contains many but not all of the things sought by parents and others with sick loved ones.
"We're not going to get perfection when it comes over the finish line ... What we've been assured is that we'll get a solid program we can build on, a solid foundation," she said.
The latest version of the bill includes 15 medical conditions that could be treated with medical marijuana -- slightly more than previous versions. These include epilepsy, chronic pain, post traumatic stress disorder, HIV and AIDS, ALS, Chron's disease and glaucoma.
One addition not favored by Bentch and many other advocates is a ten percent limit on the amount of THC in medical marijuana. THC is the ingredient in marijuana that causes the high.
The limit is intended to reduce the possibility of medical marijuana being consumed for recreational use. Advocates fear the THC cap will limit potential medications and benefits for patients.
The bill would initially allow up to 25 licensed grower/processors and 50 licensed dispensaries, with dispensaries allowed to operate up to three locations.
Doctors, nurses, pharmacists and others involved in caring for medical marijuana patients would have to undergo training. Patients and their caregivers would need state-issued cards to obtain and possess medical marijuana.
Medical marijuana could involve forms including pills, oils and forms that are vaporized. But smokable forms of medical marijuana wouldn't be allowed.
A state-run electronic database of patients using medical marijuana, and information on other aspects of the program, would be created. Patient information would be confidential.
The bill establishes fees for growers-processors and dispensers. For examples, growers-processors would have to pay a $10,000 application fee, a registration fee of $200,000 and an annual $10,000 renewal fee.
Growers-processors also would pay a 5 percent tax which would be applied at the wholesale level.
The program would be overseen by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and a special advisory board would be created to modify the program as needed.
Bentch, who has been active in persuading legislators to support the bill, said it's critical to have the advisory handling matters such as changes warranted by new research, rather than having lawmakers handle such changes.
State Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery County, one of the co-sponsors of the Senate-passed bill, said in a statement, "I have heard the House leadership has promised the people desperate for medicine that there will be a vote the week of March 14th. I believe and assume that the House leadership are men of their word. Unless SB3 passes identically to what the Senate passes, it will have to come back to the Senate. We will evaluate it carefully at that time."
The Pennsylvania push for medical marijuana has been led by mothers such as Bentch who have children with seizures that aren't well-controlled with available medications. They further argue that in addition to helping patients such as those with severe pain and loss of apetite resulting from cancer, medical marijuana can provide a painkiller alternative to highly-addictive opioids.
They have endured months of frustration over the delays, given that polls show high support for medical marijuana among Pennsylvanians, and prominent House members have long claimed there are enough votes for passage.
"We need to do something for sick people right now," Bentch said.
But groups including the Pennsylvania Medical Society have argued that will marijuana holds promise as a medicine, there is little research available to guide doctors on things such as appropriate doses. The medical society has advocated for federal changes to remove marijuana from the list of Schedule I drugs, thereby opening to door to much more research.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical Marijuana: Pa. Again Moves To Brink
Author: David Wenner
Contact: PennLive
Photo Credit: David McNew
Website: PennLive
The state House is expected to vote on a bill that was overwhelmingly approved by the state Senate.
But the Senate bill, SB 3, has been substantially amended and could well need to return to the Senate for another vote.
Latricia Bentch of Swatara Towship, who wants medical marijuana to treat her daughter's severe seizures, said the latest version of the bill contains many but not all of the things sought by parents and others with sick loved ones.
"We're not going to get perfection when it comes over the finish line ... What we've been assured is that we'll get a solid program we can build on, a solid foundation," she said.
The latest version of the bill includes 15 medical conditions that could be treated with medical marijuana -- slightly more than previous versions. These include epilepsy, chronic pain, post traumatic stress disorder, HIV and AIDS, ALS, Chron's disease and glaucoma.
One addition not favored by Bentch and many other advocates is a ten percent limit on the amount of THC in medical marijuana. THC is the ingredient in marijuana that causes the high.
The limit is intended to reduce the possibility of medical marijuana being consumed for recreational use. Advocates fear the THC cap will limit potential medications and benefits for patients.
The bill would initially allow up to 25 licensed grower/processors and 50 licensed dispensaries, with dispensaries allowed to operate up to three locations.
Doctors, nurses, pharmacists and others involved in caring for medical marijuana patients would have to undergo training. Patients and their caregivers would need state-issued cards to obtain and possess medical marijuana.
Medical marijuana could involve forms including pills, oils and forms that are vaporized. But smokable forms of medical marijuana wouldn't be allowed.
A state-run electronic database of patients using medical marijuana, and information on other aspects of the program, would be created. Patient information would be confidential.
The bill establishes fees for growers-processors and dispensers. For examples, growers-processors would have to pay a $10,000 application fee, a registration fee of $200,000 and an annual $10,000 renewal fee.
Growers-processors also would pay a 5 percent tax which would be applied at the wholesale level.
The program would be overseen by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and a special advisory board would be created to modify the program as needed.
Bentch, who has been active in persuading legislators to support the bill, said it's critical to have the advisory handling matters such as changes warranted by new research, rather than having lawmakers handle such changes.
State Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery County, one of the co-sponsors of the Senate-passed bill, said in a statement, "I have heard the House leadership has promised the people desperate for medicine that there will be a vote the week of March 14th. I believe and assume that the House leadership are men of their word. Unless SB3 passes identically to what the Senate passes, it will have to come back to the Senate. We will evaluate it carefully at that time."
The Pennsylvania push for medical marijuana has been led by mothers such as Bentch who have children with seizures that aren't well-controlled with available medications. They further argue that in addition to helping patients such as those with severe pain and loss of apetite resulting from cancer, medical marijuana can provide a painkiller alternative to highly-addictive opioids.
They have endured months of frustration over the delays, given that polls show high support for medical marijuana among Pennsylvanians, and prominent House members have long claimed there are enough votes for passage.
"We need to do something for sick people right now," Bentch said.
But groups including the Pennsylvania Medical Society have argued that will marijuana holds promise as a medicine, there is little research available to guide doctors on things such as appropriate doses. The medical society has advocated for federal changes to remove marijuana from the list of Schedule I drugs, thereby opening to door to much more research.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical Marijuana: Pa. Again Moves To Brink
Author: David Wenner
Contact: PennLive
Photo Credit: David McNew
Website: PennLive
