Gov. Dayton recently proposed halting efforts to pass medical marijuana bills
in favor of conducting more research on marijuana.
in favor of conducting more research on marijuana.
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton delivers his State of the State address before a joint session
of the Legislature (AP/Jim Mone)
In
the fight to legalize medical marijuana in Minnesota, the state’s
Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton proposed focusing on researching the drug to the state Legislature on Friday.
Specifically, Dayton suggested pausing the state Legislature’s efforts to pass HF1818/SF1641, which would create a conservative medical marijuana program similar to those in states such as New Mexico and Arizona, and investing
millions of dollars in studies examining marijuana’s medicinal
benefits, instead. Dayton’s announcement came after state law
enforcement refused to support or negotiate with state lawmakers on the
creation of a medical marijuana program for the state.
Although 20 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized
medical marijuana, Dayton has been reluctant to listen to patients and
medical professionals, opting to mostly hear law enforcement’s view on
the issue.
In his proposal,
Dayton suggested the state allocate $2.2 million for a study at the
Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic to specifically examine how marijuana’s
non-psychoactive ingredient, cannabidiol, or CBD, can be used to help
children with various forms of epilepsy.
The study would involve about 200 children ages 1 to 18, Dayton said, but it would not examine any other medical conditions
that could be helped by the use of medical marijuana such as AIDS,
post-traumatic stress disorder or the effects of chemotherapy.
Medicinal
benefits of the psychoactive ingredient THC would also not be studied.
It is not known how long it would take for the study to be
conclusive in Dayton and law enforcement’s projection, nor is it known
whether the federal government would allow the Mayo Clinic to study the
medicinal benefits of marijuana, since any study would require federal
approval and federally-grown and -approved plants.
Heather Azzi, political director for the medical marijuana
advocacy group Minnesotans for Compassionate Care, told MintPress News
that Dayton has also expressed interest in studying pharmaceutical
products derived from the marijuana plant that were created overseas.
Azzi added that not every state is allowed to study these
drugs and patients don’t necessarily have five to seven years to wait
for the Food and Drug Administration to approve them.
Under Dayton’s proposal, another $390,000 would go toward
compiling a 21-member advisory council that would study what happened in
states that legalized medical marijuana, including how crime rates were
affected and the number of people reportedly abusing substances.
Even if Dayton’s CBD Therapeutic Act does pass, Azzi said
it likely won’t do much to protect patients, since Minnesota passed a
similar piece of legislation in 1980, known as the THC Therapeutic Research Act, which she said has never been effective because the feds are not cooperating and are, in fact, blocking medical marijuana research.
Though law enforcement supports the measure, and many
medical marijuana legalization advocates applaud the push for more
research, many legalization advocates are concerned that the state will
continue to be unable to help those with certain medical conditions
legally obtain the medicine they need and keep them out of prison.
While medical marijuana varieties high in CBD and low in
THC have been touted as a great way to heal children, the reality is
that THC does have medicinal values that some children rely on to keep
them healthier.
Angela Garin’s 5-year-old son Paxton, for example, suffers
from a brain abnormality called polymicrogyria, which results in
intractable epilepsy, cerebral palsy and autism.
Garin said
since Paxton has started using medical marijuana, his seizures have
decreased by about 88 percent, but she said Paxton isn’t taking a
CBD-only strain. Garin said this proposal is concerning to her because
she doesn’t know if a CBD-only strain would work for her son.
Brandan Borgos, a Minneapolis-based attorney and board
member with the Minnesota chapter of the National Organization for the
Reform of Marijuana Laws, agreed that CBD-only legislation is not the
right direction, adding that the research proposal is just “burying the
patients and HF1818 beneath a mountain of time.”
“If Dayton is trying not to take a stance on the issue or a
middle road he certainly is not accomplishing it. Citizens are ANGRY.
Take one look at his Facebook page and see the comments overwhelming his
declaration of his tax bill’s success. We will continue to dog him
until the election on this issue,” Borgos told MintPress.
Dayton’s Chief of Staff Jaime Tincher said
that the administration proposed the studies because they are looking
for ways medical marijuana legalization can move forward in the state.
“It is my understanding that key stakeholders in the law
enforcement and medical communities, including the Mayo Clinic, would
support and advocate for the approach we are considering,” Tincher said.
Health Commissioner Ed Ehlinger agreed, saying,
“This approach would allow us to address the problems of our most
vulnerable patients, our children, and help us find safe and effective treatment consistent with the high standards of Minnesota’s nation-leading medical care system.”
Meetings between members of the governor’s administration
as well as interested advocacy groups are expected to continue
throughout the week.
Azzi said it’s up in the air whether the state Legislature
will pass a medical marijuana bill this session, but she pointed out
that the governor is no longer threatening to veto the bill.
In fact,
Azzi said Dayton has apologized to medical marijuana advocates and
patients “for putting us in the position
we are in,” which is that they were forced to negotiate with law
enforcement bodies that have said they will not support a program that
conflicts with federal law.
Given that the medical marijuana bill before the state
Legislature was crafted in December 2012 and shared with interested
parties, Azzi said it was a shame that some parties have waited until
the last two months of the legislative session to raise concerns.
Azzi said some of the parties involved in holding up the bill are now
helping advocates fix issues, she believes there is still hope a
medical marijuana program may be coming soon to Minnesota.Studio33
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