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PIERRE -- South Dakota should let people with cancer or glaucoma use
marijuana to ease their suffering, a state senator said Monday.
Sen. Ron Volesky, D-Huron, said he does not want to legalize the use of
marijuana as a recreational drug. But it has been shown to help those with
glaucoma or cancer, so South Dakota should join the nine other states that
have allowed marijuana for medical treatments, he said.
"If it could alleviate suffering, I say why not," Volesky said.
But opponents said other drugs are more effective for treating symptoms
associated with glaucoma and cancer. Allowing marijuana for medical use
also would run counter to federal law and could lead to expanded use of
marijuana in South Dakota, they said.
"We think it opens a door we don't want to open in South Dakota," said
Assistant Attorney General Charlie McGuigan.
The State Affairs Committee delayed a vote on SB73 until at least
Wednesday, when it will hear more testimony on the measure.
The bill would allow a patient or the patient's main caregiver to grow or
possess marijuana for medical use if a licensed physician gives a written
or oral recommendation for the drug's use. Doctors could recommend the use
of marijuana only for treatment of glaucoma or treatment of symptoms
resulting from chemotherapy given to cancer patients.
Some committee members said they would be more comfortable with the measure
if it required a doctor's prescription and the drug could be dispensed only
by a pharmacist.
But Dean Krogman, a lobbyist for the South Dakota State Medical
Association, said doctors cannot prescribe marijuana because of federal
law. The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case from California
dealing with the conflict between federal law and that state's law allowing
marijuana for medical use, he said.
The American Medical Association and the state association oppose the
legalization of marijuana for medical treatment until further studies are
done, Krogman said.
Some research has indicated marijuana might help treat some symptoms, but
extensive clinical studies have not been done, Krogman said.
Other drugs are available to treat the nausea that results when people
receive chemotherapy treatments for cancer, but those drugs do not work
perfectly for some people, Krogman said.
Sen. Fred Whiting, R-Rapid City, said the bill would be better if it did
not allow doctors to give oral recommendations and did not allow patients
to grow their own marijuana.
Committee members said unless distribution were tightly controlled by
doctors and pharmacists, people would start growing their own marijuana and
give medical excuses for their gardens.
Volesky said he could accept changing the measure to restrict distribution.
Bob Newland of Hermosa, a lobbyist supporting the bill, said a number of
South Dakotans who already use marijuana to treat medical problems will
probably testify at the committee's Wednesday hearing. Those people want
the bill expanded to allow the use of marijuana to treat problems besides
glaucoma and cancer, he said.
"They make themselves criminals in order to feel better," he said.
Other drugs used to treat glaucoma and cancer are not effective for all
patients, Newland said. Those drugs are more dangerous than marijuana, he said.
The use of marijuana for medical treatment would not hurt people, Newland said.
"Lots of people work and live under the influence of a drug prescribed by a
doctor that have more serious and deleterious effects than marijuana," he said.
The federal government has been providing marijuana for medical use by only
eight people in the nation, Newland said.
Sen. Gil Koetzle, D-Sioux Falls, said he became a sponsor of the bill
because he has known many friends and relatives who suffered when they
received chemotherapy for cancer.
"If it will bring any kind of relief whatsoever to the pain these people
are going through, I believe it is the right thing to do to help them,"
Koetzle said.
Newshawk: Cannabis News - marijuana, hemp, and cannabis news
Pubdate: Tue, 23 Jan 2001
Source: Rapid City Journal (SD)
Copyright: 2001 The Rapid City Journal
Contact: randy.rasmussen@rapidcityjournal.com
Address: PO Box 450, Rapid City SD 57709
Fax: (605) 394-8463
Website: rapidcityjournal.com | First. Best. In Up-To-The Minute Local News
Author: Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer
marijuana to ease their suffering, a state senator said Monday.
Sen. Ron Volesky, D-Huron, said he does not want to legalize the use of
marijuana as a recreational drug. But it has been shown to help those with
glaucoma or cancer, so South Dakota should join the nine other states that
have allowed marijuana for medical treatments, he said.
"If it could alleviate suffering, I say why not," Volesky said.
But opponents said other drugs are more effective for treating symptoms
associated with glaucoma and cancer. Allowing marijuana for medical use
also would run counter to federal law and could lead to expanded use of
marijuana in South Dakota, they said.
"We think it opens a door we don't want to open in South Dakota," said
Assistant Attorney General Charlie McGuigan.
The State Affairs Committee delayed a vote on SB73 until at least
Wednesday, when it will hear more testimony on the measure.
The bill would allow a patient or the patient's main caregiver to grow or
possess marijuana for medical use if a licensed physician gives a written
or oral recommendation for the drug's use. Doctors could recommend the use
of marijuana only for treatment of glaucoma or treatment of symptoms
resulting from chemotherapy given to cancer patients.
Some committee members said they would be more comfortable with the measure
if it required a doctor's prescription and the drug could be dispensed only
by a pharmacist.
But Dean Krogman, a lobbyist for the South Dakota State Medical
Association, said doctors cannot prescribe marijuana because of federal
law. The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case from California
dealing with the conflict between federal law and that state's law allowing
marijuana for medical use, he said.
The American Medical Association and the state association oppose the
legalization of marijuana for medical treatment until further studies are
done, Krogman said.
Some research has indicated marijuana might help treat some symptoms, but
extensive clinical studies have not been done, Krogman said.
Other drugs are available to treat the nausea that results when people
receive chemotherapy treatments for cancer, but those drugs do not work
perfectly for some people, Krogman said.
Sen. Fred Whiting, R-Rapid City, said the bill would be better if it did
not allow doctors to give oral recommendations and did not allow patients
to grow their own marijuana.
Committee members said unless distribution were tightly controlled by
doctors and pharmacists, people would start growing their own marijuana and
give medical excuses for their gardens.
Volesky said he could accept changing the measure to restrict distribution.
Bob Newland of Hermosa, a lobbyist supporting the bill, said a number of
South Dakotans who already use marijuana to treat medical problems will
probably testify at the committee's Wednesday hearing. Those people want
the bill expanded to allow the use of marijuana to treat problems besides
glaucoma and cancer, he said.
"They make themselves criminals in order to feel better," he said.
Other drugs used to treat glaucoma and cancer are not effective for all
patients, Newland said. Those drugs are more dangerous than marijuana, he said.
The use of marijuana for medical treatment would not hurt people, Newland said.
"Lots of people work and live under the influence of a drug prescribed by a
doctor that have more serious and deleterious effects than marijuana," he said.
The federal government has been providing marijuana for medical use by only
eight people in the nation, Newland said.
Sen. Gil Koetzle, D-Sioux Falls, said he became a sponsor of the bill
because he has known many friends and relatives who suffered when they
received chemotherapy for cancer.
"If it will bring any kind of relief whatsoever to the pain these people
are going through, I believe it is the right thing to do to help them,"
Koetzle said.
Newshawk: Cannabis News - marijuana, hemp, and cannabis news
Pubdate: Tue, 23 Jan 2001
Source: Rapid City Journal (SD)
Copyright: 2001 The Rapid City Journal
Contact: randy.rasmussen@rapidcityjournal.com
Address: PO Box 450, Rapid City SD 57709
Fax: (605) 394-8463
Website: rapidcityjournal.com | First. Best. In Up-To-The Minute Local News
Author: Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer
