Bill moving at light speed to OK medical marijuana in Pennsylvania. Six-year-old Lorelei Ulrich of Lancaster County suffers from epilepsy, causing her to have hundreds of seizures each day. Her parents say the medication to treat the seizures causes her to be lethargic for much of the day. Six-year-old Lorelei Ulrich of Lancaster County suffers from epilepsy, causing her to have hundreds of seizures each day. Her parents say the medication to treat the seizures causes her to be lethargic for much of the day. Her mother, Dana, is one of a group of parents with epileptic children who have begged lawmakers to consider legalizing medical marijuana in Pennsylvania. Marijuana has been proven to significantly decrease or stop altogether seizure activity, Dana Ulrich told a newspaper in Lancaster earlier this year. For several years, medical marijuana had little chance of being legalized in Pennsylvania. But now, legislators are coming around for the Keystone State to become the 23rd in the country to legalize medical marijuana, and they attribute much of it to families like the Ulrichs. Addressing this problem, helping these families and children, you have to be inhumane to not support it, said state Rep. Mario Scavello, R-176. The Senate Law and Justice committee last week approved a bill that would legalize marijuana for seriously ill Pennsylvanians. The bill will now go to the Senate Appropriations Committee before coming to a full vote. I think we can get medical marijuana passed in Pennsylvania, and I believe we will, said Sen. Daylin Leach, D-17, one of the bills co-sponsors. Under the proposal, marijuana would be grown, processed and dispensed under a state board of marijuana licensing. Residents who have a proven patient-practitioner relationship and written confirmation of a qualifying condition would be eligible for a registration card at a cost of $100. The methods of ingesting marijuana provided for in the bill includes extracted oil, vapor and edible products. The bill has a long road ahead, and its still unclear whether Gov. Tom Corbett will sign it. But the cause is gaining support from Pocono legislators on both sides of the aisle. Among the other co-sponsors of the bill are Sen. John Blake, D-22, and Sen. John Yudichak, D-14, two senators representing portions of Monroe County. Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-18, supports the bill, based mostly on the testimony from families like the Ulrichs, according to her chief of staff, Steve DeFrank. That bill has had several hearings; we heard from a lot of parents whose children suffer from chronic seizures, he said. She is going to support that. Sen. David Argall, R-29, said he will support the bill as well. Insiders say theyre surprised that the bill has garnered so much support from legislators who may not have supported medical marijuana in the past. That issue has moved at light speed, in terms of the legislative world, DeFrank said. Scavello said he has seen many of his colleagues in the House come around on the issue as well. Im starting to see it picking up a broad base of support, he said, crediting the families of children with chronic seizures who came to Harrisburg. He said a similar version of the bill has been introduced in the House. He said if it comes up for a vote, he would support it. But he would also advocate for tight controls to make sure the program isnt abused. Medical marijuana, I dont have a problem with, Scavello said. My question is going to be how its controlled — whos dispensing, how its being dispensed. Leach, co-sponsoring the senate bill, says medical marijuana has overwhelming support among Pennsylvanians, citing a poll where 85 percent of residents approved it. There are very few things where 85 percent of people agree, Leach said. Theres no rational reason to deny people medicine.
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 01:47:36 +0000
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