Archive for Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Medical marijuana bill has little chance of action

February 12, 2008

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— A bill that would create a defense for people who use marijuana because of medical problems has little hope of getting out of a Senate committee, the panel's chairwoman said Monday.

Supporters and opponents of the measure offered their views to the Senate Health Care Strategies Committee, chaired by Susan Wagle.

"This bill isn't on my agenda," the Wichita Republican said. "In the last five years, there have been so many more drugs available to cancer patients."

Supporters included former Attorney General Bob Stephan, who said the bill doesn't legalize marijuana but would provide a defense for those with a chronic or debilitating disease if they have a written statement from a doctor that using marijuana could help them.

"This is nothing new. Marijuana has been used by people with severe illnesses for a long time," he said.

Also supporting the bill was Anthony Buckland, a Shawnee County resident, who said his 16-year-old stepdaughter has cancer and marijuana would help her depression and nausea and be cheaper than the medication she's using.

One committee member, Sen. Phil Journey, a Haysville Republican, suggested there was a problem with the bill as drafted. He suggested a better approach might be to make such possession punishable only by a fine.