News

April 30, 2009

Medical marijuana proposal before Pa. House

Local state reps weigh in on allowing those with serious illnesses to use it.

A few state legislators are seeing a need for medical marijuana and, while local representatives differ on the issue’s importance, they generally agree it’s unlikely to be legalized any time soon.

State Rep. Mark Cohen, D-Philadelphia, introduced a bill Wednesday that would allow medical use of marijuana and repeal state prohibitions on using the hallucinogen.

The bill was co-sponsored by state Rep. Phyllis Mundy, D-Kingston, who noted in an e-mailed statement that “it is time to begin the discussion.”

The bill notes 13 other states allow the drug’s medicinal use, and Arizona allows doctors to prescribe it. The drug could be dispensed at a “compassion center,” according to the bill, to treat a “debilitating medical condition” such as cancer, glaucoma or HIV and would be taxed as other products are.

Those centers would also be permitted to grow it but would be subject to inspections of its records.

Patients or primary caregivers with registry identification cards could possess six plants and an ounce of the useable product before they would face potential prosecution, according to the bill. Registered users wouldn’t be permitted to drive under the drug’s influence, however.

The issuance of ID cards and regulation would be assigned to the state Department of Health.

Mundy noted the topic is not a “legislative priority” for her but said, “I support the concept as a way to relieve human suffering. I know that it is controversial, but it is time to begin the discussion as to why we allow much more addictive drugs to be prescribed as pain relievers (oxycontin as an example) but not marijuana.”

Though he says he hasn’t formed an opinion on the bill yet, Rep. Ed Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, agreed the issue is ripe for discussion. Legalization would help “take that away from the gangs and the mobs that are out there” profiting off it, he said, but he agreed that “we’re a long way away from having the government sell marijuana.”

Brett Marcy, a spokesman for state Rep. Todd Eachus, said the House majority leader wasn’t involved with the bill because he is focused on the party’s priority issues, including health-care reform, environmental action, closing the budget deficit and solving energy problems.

Though Marcy said Eachus, D-Butler Township, acknowledges other legislators may have different concerns in their districts, “we have a number of important issues on our plate.”

“We have a long list of priorities. This is not one of them,” he said.

Rep. Karen Boback, R-Harveys Lake, didn’t have a comment on the bill other than to confirm that she was not a co-sponsor. Reps. Mike Carroll, D-Avoca and John Yudichak, D-Nanticoke, could not be reached for comment.

Rory Sweeney, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-7418.

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