ST. PAUL, MN – Today, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill that would allow people with serious illnesses to access and use medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it.
Rep. Carly Melin (DFL—Hibbing), who is the chief author of Minnesota House of Representatives’ version of the bill (HF 1818), said a number of constituents suffering from serious illnesses contacted her about medical marijuana’s capacity to improve their quality of life and provide relief from symptoms like extreme pain and nausea.
“This is a matter of providing compassionate care for seriously ill Minnesotans who suffer from medical conditions like cancer and multiple sclerosis,” said Rep. Melin. “My bill allows Minnesotans with qualifying medical conditions to obtain small amounts of marijuana prescribed by their doctor. It has strong support from both sides of the aisle. Republicans and Democrats understand that showing compassion for people who are suffering every day is not a partisan issue.”
Joni Whiting, a resident of Jordan, addressed the media at a press conference announcing the legislation. Her late daughter, Stephanie, used medical marijuana to relieve the extreme pain and nausea associated with her cancer and chemotherapy treatment.
“Medical marijuana made life bearable for my daughter in her final few months,” said Whiting. “She would have tried using medical marijuana immediately after her doctor recommended it, but we feared the legal consequences of doing so. She suffered for months before we decided it was worth the risk. The bill introduced today will prevent patients and families from being put in such a terrible situation.”
Video of Joni Whiting’s remarks can be viewed here:
According to a survey conducted in March by Public Policy Polling (PPP), nearly two-thirds of Minnesotans support changing state law to allow people with serious and terminal illnesses to use medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it. Strong majorities of Minnesotans from all corners of the state, including metro, suburban, and greater Minnesota, support this approach. The full results and crosstabs are available at http://mpp.org/MNpoll.
When asked about law enforcement’s historical opposition to the policy, Rep. Melin reminded people at the event that doctors should be the ones making decisions about medical treatment, not law enforcement.
“I hold law enforcement in high regard,” said Rep. Melin. “I want to make sure we’re reaching out to people like them so we can address legitimate concerns, but ultimately, these kinds of decisions should be in the hands of patients and their physicians. I want to make sure people know that this bill would be one of the most restrictive medical marijuana laws in the country.”
Eighteen states and the District of Columbia allow patients with qualifying medical conditions to use medical marijuana with recommendations from their physicians. Similar legislation has been introduced in 14 states this year, and it is expected in two additional states. Both chambers of the Minnesota legislature passed a medical marijuana bill in 2009, only to have it vetoed by then-Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty.
“Right now, our main focus is on passing an honest budget that invests in priorities like education, property tax relief, and jobs, but we decided to introduce this bill today to start a statewide conversation so we can hit the ground running with this bill in the 2014 session,” added Rep. Melin. “We need to give Minnesotans plenty of time to get accurate information and provide feedback for their elected officials.”
Rep. Melin’s bill provides that Minnesota would create and oversee dispensaries that would grow and provide marijuana to qualified patients, who would receive state-issued ID cards. Just as government regulates and inspects pharmacies that store and dispense narcotics, these state dispensaries would be regulated and inspected as they grow and dispense medical marijuana.
A growing number of advocacy organizations, professional associations, and religious institutions support medical marijuana for qualifying patients, including national organizations like the American Public Health Association and the Episcopal Church and state-based organizations like the Minnesota Nurses Association and the Minnesota Senior Federation.
Rep. Melin encourages her constituents to contact her with any questions about the bill. She can be reached by phone at (651) 296-0172 or toll free at 888-726-0711, by email at rep.carly.melin@house.mn, or by postal mail at 515 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.
Constituents can also get the latest news and updates on developments at the legislature by following Rep. Melin on Twitter at @carlymelin.