Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
House lawmakers voted nearly 2-to-1 on Monday not to study the legalization of medical marijuana in North Dakota, despite warnings from study supporters that voters may take matters into their own hands if lawmakers fail to address the issue.
“If we don’t study this, we’re going to get what we get at the ballot box. So let’s do it our way. Let’s control it,” said Rep. Pamela Anderson, D-Fargo.
House Concurrent Resolution 3059 would have required an interim legislative study in 2015-2016 on legalizing medical marijuana for those with serious medical conditions.
The bipartisan measure was introduced by Rep. Gail Mooney, D-Cummings, after House members defeated Anderson’s House Bill 1430 to legalize medical marijuana by a 26-67 vote Feb. 18.
Mooney said lawmakers continue to hear from families across the state who would like to try medical marijuana after studies in other countries have shown it works and other medications have been ineffective.
Of the 23 states that have legalized marijuana in various forms, 11 did so through initiated measures, and those that legislated it have had the fewest problems, she said.
“Probably the smartest thing we could do as a legislative assembly is own this subject lock, stock and barrel and not wait for an initiated measure to come our way,” she said.
But Rep. Todd Porter, R-Mandan, said members of the House Human Services Committee heard extensive testimony both on the potential health benefits of medical marijuana and concerns raised by law enforcement and health officials over its regulation and distribution. The committee gave the resolution an 8-4 do-not-pass recommendation.
Porter noted clinical trials are under way on the cannabidiol component of marijuana.
“I don’t know that ... there really is anything else for the Legislature to study until the clinical trials are done, until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would change the classification of marijuana, and until we get through some of those hoops to satisfy the law enforcement,” he said.
The resolution failed by a vote of 32-61, with one member absent.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical marijuana study dies in House | The Dickinson Press
Author: Mike Nowatzki
Contact: Contact April Baumgarten | The Dickinson Press
Photo Credit: Channel 2 News
Website: The Dickinson Press
“If we don’t study this, we’re going to get what we get at the ballot box. So let’s do it our way. Let’s control it,” said Rep. Pamela Anderson, D-Fargo.
House Concurrent Resolution 3059 would have required an interim legislative study in 2015-2016 on legalizing medical marijuana for those with serious medical conditions.
The bipartisan measure was introduced by Rep. Gail Mooney, D-Cummings, after House members defeated Anderson’s House Bill 1430 to legalize medical marijuana by a 26-67 vote Feb. 18.
Mooney said lawmakers continue to hear from families across the state who would like to try medical marijuana after studies in other countries have shown it works and other medications have been ineffective.
Of the 23 states that have legalized marijuana in various forms, 11 did so through initiated measures, and those that legislated it have had the fewest problems, she said.
“Probably the smartest thing we could do as a legislative assembly is own this subject lock, stock and barrel and not wait for an initiated measure to come our way,” she said.
But Rep. Todd Porter, R-Mandan, said members of the House Human Services Committee heard extensive testimony both on the potential health benefits of medical marijuana and concerns raised by law enforcement and health officials over its regulation and distribution. The committee gave the resolution an 8-4 do-not-pass recommendation.
Porter noted clinical trials are under way on the cannabidiol component of marijuana.
“I don’t know that ... there really is anything else for the Legislature to study until the clinical trials are done, until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would change the classification of marijuana, and until we get through some of those hoops to satisfy the law enforcement,” he said.
The resolution failed by a vote of 32-61, with one member absent.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical marijuana study dies in House | The Dickinson Press
Author: Mike Nowatzki
Contact: Contact April Baumgarten | The Dickinson Press
Photo Credit: Channel 2 News
Website: The Dickinson Press
