cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana Measures Considered





Medical Marijuana Measures Considered
Posted by CN Staff on January 18, 2009 at 06:27:11 PT
By Mike Dennison Jr, State Bureau 
Source: Helena Independent Record
Montana -- When it comes to medical marijuana in Montana, it’s easy to stir up a hornet’s nest of controversy — although medical marijuana advocate Tom Daubert says that shouldn’t be the case on a bill he and others are supporting this week.“It’s as uncontroversial as a bill with the word ‘marijuana’ in it can be,” he says of House Bill 73, which would allow not only physicians but also nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe marijuana for medical use in Montana.
The same probably can’t be said about another marijuana-related bill up for hearing this week, which will face vocal opposition from supporters of Montana’s medical marijuana program.Senate Bill 212, sponsored by Sen. Verdell Jackson, R-Kalispell, says if a medical-marijuana patient or “caregiver” is driving and involved in a traffic accident or traffic stop by police, the police can demand a blood test of that person.If the person refuses, their medical-marijuana registration card can be revoked, and if the test shows they have a certain level of marijuana residue in their bloodstream, the card can be revoked for life.Jackson says he’s concerned about the high number of Montanans who are killed or injured by impaired drivers. “I consider this a special situation,” he says. “If they are taking marijuana and (driving), that’s very serious.”Daubert, who represents the medical-marijuana group Montana Patients and Families United, says he’s seen no indication of any problem with medical-marijuana patients or their caregivers driving under the influence. A “caregiver” is someone legally designated to supply patients with their marijuana.The two bills are among several affecting medical marijuana this Legislature, from both sides of the issue. Others yet to be introduced include a proposal to make it easier for patients to possess the amount of drug they need and one to close an alleged loophole allowing caregivers to use the drug.For now, however, the focus is on the two introduced bills.HB78 will be heard before the House Human Services Committee Wednesday afternoon; Jackson’s bill is before the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday morning.Rep. Julie French, D-Scobey, the sponsor of HB73, says she’s heard complaints against her bill, but that opponents often want to argue a point already settled: The legality of medical marijuana.Montana voters made medical marijuana legal in 2004 by passing Initiative 148 with 62 percent in favor.As of last month, nearly 1,600 patients in 42 Montana counties have been approved as medical-marijuana users, usually to alleviate pain caused by chronic diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis.French says her bill simply puts rural patients on an equal footing with urban Montanans when it comes to finding a health-care professional who could prescribe medical marijuana.Current law allows only a physician to designate someone as eligible for medical marijuana. As physicians become scarce in rural Montana, severely ill patients who might need the drug would have to travel hundreds of miles to see someone they don’t even know, she says.HB73 also would allow someone with an incurable medical condition to renew their medical-marijuana registry every three years instead of every year.“As with any other medicine we prescribe, we don’t go out of the way to make life hell for (the patient),” French said.French and Daubert say HB73 is fairly innocuous, and hope it can overcome any opposition from those who don’t like the fact that medical marijuana is legal in Montana.As for Jackson’s SB212, Daubert says it could penalize medical-marijuana patients who aren’t driving under the influence. Elements of marijuana stay in one’s system for days after using it, and the user could fail the blood test and then lose his or her medical marijuana registration card, even though they weren’t driving while impaired, he says.“There’s no scientific basis for the standards (in the bill) for impairment,” Daubert says. “Those who medicate with marijuana would be pretty much guaranteed to fail the test.”Jackson says if it’s true that medical-marijuana patients aren’t driving much at all, let alone under the influence, then they shouldn’t be worried about his bill.“But if they are out there driving around, and they kill someone, it would be pretty hard to convince the family members (of the victim) that it wasn’t a problem,” he says.Still, Jackson says he’ll look forward to Tuesday’s hearing to listen to arguments against his proposal.“I want to use the public process to see if we have a problem in this area,” he says.Source: Helena Independent Record (MT)Author: Mike Dennison Jr, State BureauPublished: January 18, 2009Copyright: 2009 Helena Independent RecordWebsite: http://helenair.com/Contact: irstaff helenair.comURL: http://drugsense.org/url/fSMrii8ECannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by josephlacerenza on January 20, 2009 at 16:31:19 PT
My link didn't work
Here is a better one:
Purdue researchers, Indiana firm form company to improve marijuana detection 
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Comment #2 posted by josephlacerenza on January 20, 2009 at 16:27:59 PT
There is a better way
Purdue with help, has came up with a spit test for THC. This will hopefully lead to more accurate field testing for the cops. If you are going to take away someones rights for life, you best be fair and balanced. I like your logic ripit!!!! Take the right away from a drunk to get drunk and find out what happens LOL!!!!
Purdue researchers, Indiana firm form company to improve marijuana detection 
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Comment #1 posted by ripit on January 18, 2009 at 18:23:49 PT
so do they plan on testing 
everyone who has an accident?i don't really see a problem with testing after an accident but the punishment better be the same no matter what meds are being used wether its cannabis or aspirin or an icy hot patch.a lifetime ban on alcohol use on the first offence should be in effect anyway i .m .o.
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