The state House of Representatives should strike a blow for common sense this week and pass the medical marijuana bill that’s before it. Senate Bill 3, approved with overwhelming bipartisan support from senators last May, has been examined, deliberated and amended to address every concern. Pennsylvanians suffering from diseases that could possibly be treated with cannabis deserve the lawmakers’ action.
A legitimate criticism of medical marijuana is that regulation, based on the experience in other states, can be so lax as to serve as de facto legalization. Ask anyone in California how easy it is to find a Dr. Feelgood who is quick to certify that self-described “chronic pain” makes one eligible to buy weed from a handy dispensary.
Pennsylvania’s strict proposal would nip such loopholes in the bud. Certified patients could receive the cannabis in a pill, oil or vaporized form; smoking is not permitted. Dispensaries could not sell marijuana in edible form. The rules for growers and dispensaries are properly strict, with an advisory board that would keep close watch. An electronic tracking system would monitor all aspects, from seed to transport to sale.
The poster children for medical marijuana in Pennsylvania have been kids like Sydney Michael of Fayette County and Leah and Olivia McGurk of Beaver County. They suffer from Dravet syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that can cause hundreds of seizures per day, and which can be eased by the active ingredients extracted from cannabis.
They and their families have made dozens of trips to Harrisburg to lobby for a sensible law to help them and many others. Other Pennsylvanians suffering medical maladies have tried to influence legislators, too.
The House of Representatives owes it to them, and anyone in need of the palliative relief that can be derived from this natural substance, to pass this reasonable legislation without further amendment.
First Published: March 15, 2016, 4:00 a.m.
