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No Medical Marijuana for Minnesota This Year

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #776)
Drug War Issues
Medical Marijuana
Politics & Advocacy
State & Local Legislatures
State & Local Executive Branches

Bills to allow for the use of medical marijuana in Minnesota have popular support and may still be introduced this year, but will be little more than place markers for 2014, supporters said this week, citing opposition from the governor's office and law enforcement.

Heather Azzi of Minnesotans for Compassionate Care said the effort got off to a late start this year, and that the rest of the year would be devoted to trying to shore up support.

"We just had a lot of background work to do before we got started," she told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. And there is a lot of work to be done assuaging the concerns on opponents. "There has to be a way for us to mitigate their concerns," she said. "We will be meeting with them between now and January to do just that."

Medical marijuana made it through the legislature in 2009, only to be vetoed by then-Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R). The current governor, Democrat Mark Dayton, isn't any friendlier on the issue.

He told the Associated Press in December that he wasn't interested in advancing either medical marijuana or decriminalization. "I don't think we need another drug operating in our society," he said then.

Minnesota law enforcement remains intransigent as well. Dennis Flaherty, executive director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, told the Star-Tribune any bill like the 2009 bill would not be going anywhere. "It would be a regulatory and enforcement nightmare," Flaherty said.

The state's political movers-and-shakers are apparently more attuned to the complaints of law enforcement than the desires of the electorate. A Public Policy Polling survey earlier this month had support for medical marijuana at 65%, with 66% saying the governor should not veto such a bill if it passes and 54% saying they would disapprove of sheriffs and prosecutors opposing it.

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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

mexweeds (not verified)

 "I don't think we need another drug operating in our society."  That comment by Gov. Mark Dayton reveals the blind spot: failure to recognize the difference that will be achieved by (a) downsizing the dosage (25-mg one-hitters instead of 500-mg combustion joint) and (b) vaporizing instead of "smoking" (with a one-hitter this means: hold the heat near but don't ignite).

The "drug" impact attributed to cannabis is caused by heat shock, carbon monoxide, PAH's and other toxins you will AVOID by switching to vape.

Meanwhile, Governor, think what it will mean when cheap accessible cannabis (a) kills off "social binge drinking" and (b) provides an "alternative" whereby youngsters escape NICOTINE ADDICTION which causes $193-bil./year damage to the USD economy (CDC figure).  How about them "drug" prospects?

Thu, 03/14/2013 - 9:39pm Permalink
kickback (not verified)

This is a prime example of Law Enforcement assuming that they are Health Care Professionals . Cops are in it for the $$$ , plain and simple . For Governor Dayton to say that " I don`t think we need another drug operating in our society " is beyond the pale . Guess what ? Cannabis is already operating in society . Has been for how long now...???... Thousands of years ?!? The government screwed up royally when it handed the most beneficial plant on earth over to  Law Enforcement  with its " Reefer Madness " garbage . The undoing of it all and the ugliness of it to Law Enforcement is a beautiful sight to behold indeed .

Fri, 03/15/2013 - 4:12am Permalink
Giordano (not verified)

I’m not certain why, but the forces of circumstance are denying Minnesotans their right to effective medication when and where they want it. 

Did Minnesota violate some unwritten law?  Are Minnesotans by nature more likely to persecute themselves than the rest of the country? 

Minnesotans should reflect on these questions when they deny themselves what could be lifesaving remedies like the cannabinoids found in the marijuana flower.

Sat, 03/16/2013 - 12:40am Permalink
US Patent 6630507 (not verified)

Gov. Dayton was elected by the people and the recent poll shows that the people are sick of the BS. Law Enforcement are scientists not are they healthcare professionals, they need to back off. Gov Dayton needs to have the balls to make his own decision based on facts and not fear mongering and propaganda being spewed by law enforcement. Law enforcement is scared that they will lose funding by Cannabis being legalized and many officers are scared they'd lose their jobs. Cities are scared that the revenue generated from all the court fees, fines and other forms of revenue generated by victimizing the people into the corrupt legal system. If we can't get our elected officials to take action on this for the betterment of the people who elected them then we need to take action ourselves through genuine non violent civil disobedience, non-compliance and the best way to beat the unjust war on cannabis prohibition JURY NULLIFICATION. Juries have the power to acquit if laws are unjust, out of date, factually wrong or unconstitutional. Why in this day and age with the economy the way it is should taxpayers pay for cannabis consumers and growers to be jailed and imprisoned? Instead of wasting millions if not billions of dollars arresting an imprisoning people for cannabis why not generate millions or billions of dollars regulating and taxing cannabis? Why not allow farmers to grow hemp? Why make it a hassle for people to find good jobs in this economy by turning mon violent good people into criminals? The amount of jobs that could be created by regulating taxing this harmless plant would give the economy a well needed boost and would create a plethora of new jobs and new tax revenue. If you believe what you're hearing on TV and think that this issue is comical and enjoy laughing this issue off, you need to educate yourself because you don't have a clear and true understanding of cannabis and hemp. Research the Endocannabinoid system, research the US Gov owning US patent 6630507 cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants, research cannabis cures cancer, research Dr. Robert Melamede, watch documentaries like "what if cannabis cured cancer", "medical cannabis and its impact on human health", "the union". Research Rick Simpson and his cannabis oil that is curing cancer. Research Harry Anslinger and how racist he was and his involvement in alcohol prohibition. Research Henry ford and his car that was made from and ran on hemp oil. Research the private prison industry. Research the racism of cannabis prohibition that locks up African Americans disproportionally, the statistics are clear. If people would actually educate themselves about this issue and think for themselves rather then listen to the fear mongering and propaganda perpetrated by the mainstream media, we wouldn't be talking about this right now, we would already have a system in place where cannabis and hemp would be taxed and regulated like how it should have been in the first place. If you do your research and disregard the disinfo and fear mongering you would know that the prohibition of cannabis has been one of the greatest national tragedies this country has ever witnessed. WAKE UP!!! And educate yourselves because CNN, Fox News and msnbc are part of the propaganda machine and won't give it to you straight. Turn the TV off and actually learn something worthwhile.
Mon, 03/18/2013 - 8:32pm Permalink
Anonymousjimmy (not verified)

Here's a challenge Denny. You won't do it you don't have the smarts anyway. Go to the LEAP website and actually learn something. These cops have brains and know how to use them I will never ever have one spec of RESPECT for your type of law and disorder. With LEAP these guys use things like experience", facts, the truth. Remember people aren't quite as dumb as you think .
Tue, 03/19/2013 - 11:35am Permalink
Anonymousjimmy (not verified)

Go to the leap website and actually learn instead of mocking those who know so much more then you like you did in 2009.
Tue, 03/19/2013 - 11:41am Permalink

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