Bipartisan Medical Marijuana Bill Introduced in Minnesota House
CONTACT: Neal Levine, MCC director, 612-326-6690 ex. 802
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA A bipartisan bill that would protect seriously ill patients who use medical marijuana with their doctors' recommendation from the threat of arrest and prison was introduced in the Minnesota House of Representatives today. This bill follows closely on the heels of S.F. 345, an identical bill introduced in the Senate last week, also with bipartisan support.
Thomas Huntley (DFL-Duluth), lead sponsor of the House bill and chairman of the Healthcare and Human Services Finance Division, said passing the bill would effectively protect Minnesota patients and put health care decisions where they belong: with doctors and patients. "Politicians in St. Paul should trust physicians to know what's best for their patients," he said.
Republican co-sponsor and former House speaker, Steve Sviggum (R-Kenyon), echoed Huntley’s statement. "President Bush in the State of the Union speech said that physicians and patients should make health care decisions," Sviggum said. "I agree."
The bill was introduced with eighteen sponsors, including four Republicans. S.F. 345 was introduced with five sponsors (the most allowed by Senate rules), including three DFL’ers and two Republicans.
"I'm happy with the bipartisan support for this proposal that will help patients suffering from cancer, MS, and other diseases receive the care their physicians recommend," said lead Senate sponsor, Steve Murphy (DFL-Red Wing).
“It's comforting to see such widespread, bipartisan support behind this compassionate and sensible legislation," said Don Haumant, a Minneapolis resident and former legal medical marijuana patient in California, who uses marijuana to treat nausea and severe pain associated with advanced liver disease and multiple musculoskeletal conditions. “I'm very hopeful that 2007 will be the year Minnesota stops arresting the sick and the dying for trying to alleviate our pain."
The overwhelming bulk of scientific evidence supports medical marijuana's safety and efficacy in treating the pain, nausea, and appetite loss associated with serious diseases such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, and multiple sclerosis. If the bill becomes law, Minnesota would join Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington as the 12th state to protect its most vulnerable citizens from arrest and jail for using medical marijuana with their doctor's recommendation. |
