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Medical Marijuana: Minnesota Bill Passes Senate Committee

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #481)
Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy

The Minnesota medical marijuana bill narrowly passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday on a 5-4 vote. The bill, SF 345, has already been approved by the Senate Health, Housing and Family Security Committee and now heads for a vote in the Senate Finance Committee.

The bill would allow seriously ill patients to use marijuana with a physician's recommendation.

A House companion bill, HF 0655 has so far successfully followed a similarly torturous path. It is now before the House Finance Committee for the second time.

The favorable vote came despite sometimes heated testimony by law enforcement officials who argued it would "send the wrong message," lead to increased marijuana use, be difficult to enforce, and conflict with federal law. But the bill's lead sponsor, Sen. Steve Murphy (D-Red Wing) called those concerns overstated.

"I'm happy that we are one step closer to passing this bill that will help patients suffering from cancer, MS, and other diseases to receive the care their physicians recommend," said Murphy after the vote.

The number of states with laws protecting medical marijuana patients from arrest increased on April 2, when New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) signed the 12th state medical marijuana law. The other states with medical marijuana laws are Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

Anonymous (not verified)

us paitents need this to relieve our pains to live the rest of our short lives pain free.. or close to it

Thu, 05/03/2007 - 12:46pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

I am a quad from a car accident in 1997, with a lot of nerve pain. I have tryed marijuana for the pain and it does help. I take nurotion now for the pain and yes it helps quite a bit. I tryed to get off of them, but was in to much pain. So yes I would like to try marijuana again to see if it works as good as I think it does.

Sun, 07/08/2007 - 11:24am Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

My name is DMJ and I was in a Car accident in 1999 I have a TBI, Compression fracture on my back T-12 broken arm broken coller bone all my ribs were broken and I suffer from Arthritious, Depression Anxiety attacks, explosive disorder, Post dramatic stress, Chronic musle spasms in my back. Marijuana is the only thing that takes all these symtoms away and it makes the side affects from my anti-depressents go away. If there is someone outthere that can help me with getting medical Marijuana for all of these problems I have. I can get my health records to prove it. Please help me . [email protected]. How can I apply for this medical Marijuana in Minnesota. I want it to be Legalized for people who really need it for there illnesses. Thank you

Thu, 09/27/2007 - 3:57pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

I have injuries to my upper back, neck and shoulders from a weight-lifting accident back in '85. My doctor's in California prescribed me all different pain meds, some worked for a while, others made me too dependent on them. I had a prescription for medical Marijuana in California. I had great success with it as it relieved my pain and stimulated my appetite which I lose due to the pain. My hope is that Minnesota will follow suit soon in passing their initiative. I also just won my disability case due to my injuries.

Thu, 01/10/2008 - 3:46pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

I recently became a medical marijuana patient and the relief of not having to go else where to obtain my medication is unbelievable not to mention the relief brought to my hyper tension. Please consider the medical uses of this drug and open your hearts to compassion.

Mon, 04/28/2008 - 6:21pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

i have chronic anger managment and serious depresion but when i smoke medical marijuana it calms me down takes my anger away and i dont get depressed at all please pass the bill and free ourselves from this pain and suffering

Mon, 08/04/2008 - 11:08pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

i have appetite loss and i need some bud to make me eat or i will die

Tue, 02/10/2009 - 12:34pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

I'm 28 years old been diagnosed with Glaucoma, Was in a pedistrian vs car accident in 99 I Was the Pedistrian. Have had multiple knee surgeries and chronic back pain and spasms. We NEED THIS!!!!

Tue, 02/17/2009 - 7:04pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE

“I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?”

“One's condition on marijuana is always existential. One can feel the importance of each moment and how it is changing one. One feels one's being, one becomes aware of the enormous apparatus of nothingness -- the hum of a hi-fi set, the emptiness of a pointless interruption, one becomes aware of the war between each of us, how the nothingness in each of us seeks to attack the being of others, how our being in turn is attacked by the nothingness in others.”

Even if one takes every reefer madness allegation of the prohibitionists at face value, marijuana prohibition has done far more harm to far more people than marijuana ever could

I tried marijuana once. I did not inhale

Here's the point - you're looking at affirmative action, and you're looking at marijuana. You legalize marijuana, no need for quotas, because really, who's gonna wanna work?”

My generation, faced as it grew with a choice between religious belief and existential despair, chose marijuana. Now we are in our Cabernet stage.”

If adults want to take such chances (with marijuana) that is their business”

“Marijuana is the finest anti-nausea medication known to science, and our leaders have lied about this consistently. [Arresting people for] medical marijuana is the most hideous example of government interference in the private lives of individuals. It's an outrage within an outrage within an outrage.”

Sat, 03/21/2009 - 9:33pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

I was recently diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2004. I have been dealing with a lot of pain with my intestines and dealing with internal bleeding. I went through 6 different prescribed medicines to obtain remission. I experienced with marijuana recently and I have seen drastic reliefs of pain and I can finally eat again. During the time when I was diagnosed I lost 20 pounds due to Crohn's. Since the small usage of marijuana I have came back to my normal eating pattern with a healthy diet. I really hope they pass medical marijuana for everyone’s illnesses that it helps and mine. Thanks

E

Tue, 04/07/2009 - 3:20pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Yeah man i am 17 i was diagnosed with Crohns in december. they gave me some pills called asacal. didnt work. but i tried marijuana and i have been able to eat from it, then the pain goes away. ive become depressed after i was diagnosed because most of all my hopes and dreams have been shattered and it takes it away.

Thu, 04/09/2009 - 4:08pm Permalink
tyler asdsa (not verified)

i am a very anger person i get so pissed off some times i dont even kno y im soo pissed off and the onley thing that calms me down is pot can i get it from the doctor

Wed, 06/17/2009 - 6:18pm Permalink
Anonymouss (not verified)

hello i,m 18 and i have chronic back problem from lifting and muscle spasms i also have a family who's almost gone i have no father he killed him self when i was born my step dad died on chirstmas i have very bad anger problems i tried pot and i just relax no anger at all i just want to get along with my mom and my brother please help i need a doctor in minneasota

Thu, 07/01/2010 - 6:42pm Permalink

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