Medical marijuana sponsor promises renewed effort in 2013

For the two sessions in a row, Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montco) has introduced medical marijuana bills in the Pennsylvania Senate, but neither of these bills received a vote. Sen. Leach was joined this session by three other senators as co-sponsors – Larry Farnese (D-Philadelphia), Jim Ferlo (D-Allegheney/Westmoreland/Armstrong) and Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheney) – and, in December 2012, he was quoted as saying it is "inevitable" that Pennsylvania will eventually choose to allow the medicinal use of marijuana.

Sen. Leach's bill would allow seriously ill and debilitated Pennsylvanians to use and possess medical marijuana free from the threat of arrest and prosecution at the state level so long as they have their physicians’ recommendations. In addition, this bill would create state regulated dispensaries so that Pennsylvania patients would have immediate, safe, and reliable access to their medicine.

Please click here to send a letter to your state senator and representative, urging them to support medical marijuana.

Can you or someone you know benefit from medical marijuana?

If you are a medical professional or a patient who might benefit from medical marijuana, or if you know somebody who might benefit from medical marijuana, we would like to hear from you. Additionally, if you are a law enforcement official or a clergy member, please email state@mpp.org to learn how you can be of special help.

Read up on the current status of marijuana law in the Keystone State

Under current law, an individual arrested for possession of up to an ounce of marijuana in Pennsylvania can be sentenced to a maximum of 30 days in jail and fined up to $500. Additionally, simple possession arrests accounted for 79% of all marijuana arrests made in Pennsylvania in 2007. To learn more about the current status of marijuana law in Pennsylvania, please see Dr. Jon Gettman, PhD.’s report.

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