Marijuana Policy Project

Pot use would only be for the terminally ill. Lawmakers also voted to make not wearing a seat belt a primary offense.

A bill that permits terminally ill patients to use marijuana to ease their pain cleared the House and Senate on Monday night, a measure significantly narrowed from an earlier version that would have allowed any suffering patient, terminal or not, to use the drug for medical purposes.

The House passed the bill, 70-64, a victory for supporters who have long worked to get medical marijuana legalized in Minnesota, but one not nearly big enough to override a veto by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who said Tuesday that he will reject the bill.

Hoping to make the bill more palatable to Pawlenty, Rep. Joe Atkins, DFL-Inver Grove Heights, introduced the last-minute amendment to allow marijuana to be used only by terminal patients. But there seemed little chance that Pawlenty, who has long expressed reservations, was inclined to approve the bill in any form.

The Senate, which previously had passed a broader version, took up the amended bill after the House vote and approved it, 38-28.

The issue of medical marijuana, which has been legalized by 13 states, prompted impassioned debate that pitted concern for the suffering against worries that legalizing the drug even for limited use would lead to increased drug addiction and crime.

The Atkins amendment made no difference to Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Delano, who insisted on calling the drug "medicinal pot."

"It is a gateway drug. It does lead to other issues," he said.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," said Rep. Thomas Huntley, DFL-Duluth, a sponsor of the bill.

Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Good Thunder, who is a police chief, said the potential benefits of the legislation didn't outweigh its drawbacks. Legalizing marijuana even for limited circumstances will lead to problems for officers, he said. "I'm just not willing to give up on the war on drugs," Cornish said.