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Capitol View®
Tim Pugmire

Advocates continue push for medical marijuana bill

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Medical marijuana advocates are urging state lawmakers to take action on their bill before the end of the 2014 session.

During a state Capitol news conference today, they highlighted a growing list of physicians and clergy members who support the legalization of medical marijuana. The bill would allow physicians to prescribe marijuana to patients with debilitating conditions. But the number of doctors on the list is less than 100, and none appeared at the event.

Heather Azzi, political director for the advocacy group Minnesotans for Compassionate Care, said she believes doctors in Minnesota still don’t know enough about marijuana.

“Because, it is illegal here for them to handle,” Azzi said. “They don’t have any firsthand experience with it. When we look to doctors on other states, we see high numbers of support from the medical community. I expect we’ll see that here as well once they have an opportunity to use this medication firsthand.”

The Minnesota Medical Association, which has 10,000 members, came out against medical marijuana legislation last month.

A Senate committee that began discussing the bill earlier this month is expected to take action soon.

But the chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Housing Committee has not yet scheduled a hearing.

“We should try to accomplish that maybe even this week, but I’m not certain if I’ll be able to do that,” said Sen. Kathy Sheran, DFL-Mankato.

Medical marijuana supporters insist they have the votes needed to pass the bill in both the House and Senate. But the Gov. Mark Dayton still opposes the measure, and he shared his concerns again today.

“Why would we want to take another drug, whose effects may be beneficial to some people but whose potential for harm is even greater for far many more people, without giving it  all kinds of consideration?,” Dayton said.

Dayton also pointed out that the medical marijuana effort in Minnesota is being backed by a national organization that wants full legalization of marijuana.

In response, Heather Azzi said her group does receive financial support from the Marijuana Policy Project, a national organization that wants marijuana regulated and taxed like alcohol. But Azzi said there is no hidden agenda.

“There are no tricks in this medical marijuana bill,” Azzi said. “It is strictly a medical proposal.”

UPDATE

The Senate Health, Human Services and Housing Committee will resume its discussion of the medical marijuana bill Friday at 8:00 a.m.