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Minnesota - The bill, which passed the House Ways and Means Committee easily on Wednesday, would not legalize marijuana. But it would allow patients who qualify to possess up to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana and to receive similar amounts on a regular basis from groups set up to dispense the drug.
The measure passed the Minnesota Senate last year but did not receive a vote in the House.
The effort at getting medical marijuana approved in Minnesota has been more than 10 years in the making and most recently has seen growing support among Republicans who previously might have been expected to oppose to it.
Rep. Chris DeLaForest, R-Andover, is a cosponsor of the House bill and predicted bipartisan support for its passage.
"To me, this is the ultimate conservative issue," DeLaForest said following the vote. "It's about keeping the government out of the doctor/patient relationship."
The vote in the House committee occurred without debate or questions being asked, but it can be expected to generate controversy during debate on the House floor, which is expected within the next few weeks.
The measure requires patients to register and have a card issued by the Minnesota Department of Health. Non-profits can be established to grow and distribute the medical marijuana with up to 12 plants per patient.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty has sympathized with objections to the proposal from law-enforcement groups, and a spokesman reiterated on Wednesday that he would veto a bill establishing medical marijuana if it does not contain provisions that are palatable to the law-enforcement community.
"Governor Pawlenty stands with law enforcement in opposition to this bill," said spokesman Brian McClung.
The state statute would be in conflict with federal law, which makes the possession of marijuana illegal. Doctors would recommend medical marijuana to patients but would not actually prescribe it under the bill.
Twelve other states have medical-marijuana laws. Such bills are now under consideration in Illinois and New York, and an initiative is expected to appear on Michigan's November ballot.
Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune (MN)
Copyright: 2008 Star Tribune
Contact: opinion@startribune.com
Website: StarTribune.com: Breaking news, multimedia, blogs and more from Minneapolis, St. Paul and around Minnesota
The measure passed the Minnesota Senate last year but did not receive a vote in the House.
The effort at getting medical marijuana approved in Minnesota has been more than 10 years in the making and most recently has seen growing support among Republicans who previously might have been expected to oppose to it.
Rep. Chris DeLaForest, R-Andover, is a cosponsor of the House bill and predicted bipartisan support for its passage.
"To me, this is the ultimate conservative issue," DeLaForest said following the vote. "It's about keeping the government out of the doctor/patient relationship."
The vote in the House committee occurred without debate or questions being asked, but it can be expected to generate controversy during debate on the House floor, which is expected within the next few weeks.
The measure requires patients to register and have a card issued by the Minnesota Department of Health. Non-profits can be established to grow and distribute the medical marijuana with up to 12 plants per patient.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty has sympathized with objections to the proposal from law-enforcement groups, and a spokesman reiterated on Wednesday that he would veto a bill establishing medical marijuana if it does not contain provisions that are palatable to the law-enforcement community.
"Governor Pawlenty stands with law enforcement in opposition to this bill," said spokesman Brian McClung.
The state statute would be in conflict with federal law, which makes the possession of marijuana illegal. Doctors would recommend medical marijuana to patients but would not actually prescribe it under the bill.
Twelve other states have medical-marijuana laws. Such bills are now under consideration in Illinois and New York, and an initiative is expected to appear on Michigan's November ballot.
Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune (MN)
Copyright: 2008 Star Tribune
Contact: opinion@startribune.com
Website: StarTribune.com: Breaking news, multimedia, blogs and more from Minneapolis, St. Paul and around Minnesota