Over police objections, House committee OKs medical marijuana bill

03/20/2007

By Mark Brunswick, Star Tribune
Last update: March 20, 2007


A bill to allow the medical use of marijuana cleared one of its major hurdles late Monday, passing a House public safety committee where law enforcement officials made their strongest appeal yet to defeat the measure.
The bill would allow a doctor to prescribe medical marijuana to a patient but would not legalize its use, creating a hazy area where state and federal laws conflict.

The House Public Safety and Civil Law Committee approved the bill by an 11-8 vote after an amendment was added taking away a provision that would have allowed individual patients to grow their own marijuana. Under the amended bill, only sanctioned nonprofit organizations would be permitted to grow up to 12 plants and 2.5 ounces per patient. The individual plant provision remains in a Senate version of the bill but supporters have said they are interested in a compromise to make the bill more palatable to law enforcement.

Several law enforcement organizations testified against the bill, saying marijuana remains prohibited by federal law, that other prescribed medications can perform the same functions and that relaxing laws on marijuana use will send the wrong message, particularly to youth.

Any benefit to a small group is "overshadowed by the potential for societal harm," said Buffalo Police Chief Mitch Weinzetl, also representing the state's police chiefs' association.

Eleven other states have enacted medical marijuana bills and New Mexico is poised to approve similar legislation.

The Minnesota bill would permit patients to use marijuana through a doctor's orders. They would be certified and registered by the Minnesota Department of Health.

The bill occupies a unique place in the political spectrum. One of its chief authors in the House is Republican Steve Sviggum of Kenyon, and it has the support of several other conservative legislators. Rep. Chris DeLaForest, R-Andover, for instance, voted for the measure in committee. DFL Rep. John Lesch, a St. Paul city prosecutor, voted against it. Gov. Tim Pawlenty is opposed to the measure.

During the committee hearing, one legislator pulled out a bag full of fish oil, vitamins, over-the-counter joint anti-inflammatories and anti-prostate cancer medications as examples of products not approved by the Food and Drug Administration but often recommended by physicians.

"We need to talk outside the box a little bit," said Rep. Leon Lillie, DFL-North St. Paul.