PA Medical Marijuana: It "Cann'tabis"

As it looks, the PA medical cannabis bill is getting strangled in red tape. Revisions have been introduced, but no clear outline is in place for more qualifying conditions based on science aside from the creation of a medical cannabis board, which in and of itself is going to delay access to medicine for at least two years, even if SB3 and its respective House bill pass, and get by Governor Wolf, who has already indicated his support for a medical bill.

What's unfortunate, is as seen in the picture above, smoking and vaporization have been excluded as medical delivery mediums, straight out of the gate. This sentence stands boldly, early in the SB3 as a clear, "No, F*** you." from the far right-leaning PA politicians, as few and disliked as they are.

In all seriousness, there have been paraphrasing of medical cannabis meetings where ignorant politicians propose that mixing decarboxylated cannabis with mashed potatoes would be fine, whereas processing cannabis into butter and creating edibles should be illegal.

Because, you know. After all, it's all about the m***erf***ing kids, isn't it?! It's always about the kids, until the sick and in-need kids are paraded in front of your hearings, pleading for an effective program because they have little time left. Politicians shake their heads, shake their hands, bow in silence and refuse to act in compassion. Well, we were all kids at one point, and to think that you're denying medicine to someone as bright, innocent and full of potential as you when you were a child should be a crime.

Stigma concerning this plant that has been seeded in racism and government sponsored propaganda against the counter-culture movements associated with jazz and cannabis has literally ruled our policy since the late days of alcohol prohibition. Prohibition has never been an effective tool against use of a substance, nor has it been fiscally responsible for the State. The fact that we are still caught in this stalemate between the public will for change, against the obstinate "Representatives" of our voice who do nothing, if not the opposite, of what we're clamoring about!

Matt Baker - R-PA: Opponent of Medical Cannabis in PA

If we continue to let the minority, elitist individuals who are privileged enough to get paid $10's of $1,000's of dollars by Pharmaceutical company's lobbyists ANY say in the development of cannabis legislation that has an impact on Pennsylvanian lives, we are going to go the way of New Jersey: stuck in a poorly laid out State program with strict and unreasonable regulations that inhibit patient access for years after a MMJ law passes.

When this doomed piece of legislation goes through and inevitably fails because it does not describe any delivery means of this medicine, aka: there is no dispensary infrastructure described, any right-winged politicians that get in control of PA in the future are going to attack its failures as a reason that it should be shut down. All this legislation describes are fees and costs associated with licensure and the strict adherences that must be made if actually operating a dispensary. It does not protect itself through establishing a system of checks and balances within the new MMJ industry, nor does it effectively allow for the qualifying conditions that science shows can be treated or cured with cannabis.

While we tout the progress of being able to get a medical bill through in a State where a conservative jerk ruled ignorantly just years prior, we need to be wary of letting things slip by just on their perceived value.

90% of the population may support MMJ in PA, but of that 90%, how many are going to READ SB3 or other legislation before it passes and voice out? Not 90% of them, I'd wager. That would be great, but the numbers just don't work. Those that are most actively involved may, but the bell curve majority will only celebrate in private revelry when the announcement is made that PA has legalized Medical Marijuana. Little will they know how limited a program it is, especially when taking into account the vast popularity of medical cannabis across the population here.

While we fight and fight to make a difference and be heard, it seems that politicians can't get anything right because regardless of testimony and true urgent need, there are still those that believe they are "righteous crusaders", protecting the future generations of children from a "gateway drug".

If you believe that kind of psycho-babble bullshit, I personally hate you and I hope we never meet.
Cannabis is medicine and I know first hand, so stop making decisions that affect others' lives, when you quite obviously know so little about the science of cannabis-based medicine, politicians.

If we pass a CBD only or limited MMJ bill, we are coming in meekly on the right side of history. We're limping onto the winning side's battle, late and warily. Pennsylvanians aren't limp or weak - we proudly have polled in strong favor of cannabis, so far as establishing a majority in favor of recreational cannabis! We should forge a strong, medically-based, patient access friendly program NOW and show New Jersey, New York, Maryland and Delaware (all medical States ahead of PA) how to effectively implement the Peoples' will!

MMJ Bill SB1182 Passes PA Senate

After being delayed in the Appropriations Committee, SB1182 was finally brought to term and moved to the full Senate for a vote today, Sept. 24th. Originally, this bill included the ability for patients to grow up to six plants at home, and it clearly allowed for the smoking or vaporization of cannabis flower material or concentrates.

Well, that was until the Republicans got their hands on it.

Being able to grow six plants went WAY early. It was struck down and unchallenged. Though it certainly would have allowed access quicker than implementing a control board and dispensary system, growing plants legally still scares the bejeezus out of government shills that get lobby money to keep all drugs illegal, (police, big pharma... the lobby list goes on). So we as activists kind of bent over and took it up the tail pipe on being able to grow here in PA. (**Note - In Colorado, the legalization of cannabis came paired with the freedom to grow up to six plants**)

So here we were resting on our SB1182 - it was one pillar less strong out of the gate, but it was still strong. It had (and has) protections for patients in arenas previously untouched by States with MMJ laws: legally, employers can't fire you in PA for being a MMJ patient. You can't lose custody of your kids for being an MMJ patient according to this bill. While the stigma sticks that cannabis intoxicates an individual beyond the capacity to drive, it was pretty much expected that wording would exclude driving, flying and vehicle privileges while high. What we DIDN'T count on was the stated 10 Nanogram limit on THC in the body of the patient... It didn't stop getting worse there...

So a core group of 5-8 people, (and I use that term loosely) just HAD to amend SB1182 until it was satisfactorily "no fun" - amendments went in that literally bar patients from smoking or vaporizing their cannabis for medicinal purposes. Senator Smucker, out of Lancaster, led the charge against this bill with chiming morons, Pat Vance and Senator Mensch backing his blind attack. Smucker went so far as to actually propose ANOTHER amendment that would have limited SB1182 to CBD only - something ALL activists and Cosponsors were dead set against. Luckily, that amendment got utterly crushed, and the Senate did end up passing SB1182.

Enemy of the State of Pennsylvania (Or at least Enemy to the 85% Supporting Cannabis Law Reform)

Now it's a steady march to the House, where plenty of doubtful media outlets are staking money on this bill dying. With such fervent support from activists like Les Stark, who boldly declared on Facebook that this bill WILL be moving through the House to become law, it's hard to think about a future where this hard fought battle fizzles into a retreat on part of the MMJ warriors. Nonetheless, Gov. Corbett has vowed to veto any legislation that reaches him concerning cannabis. A super majority is needed in Congress to nullify Corbett's veto power, and what's impressive is that we just might have it. Either way, come elections in November, Corbett is largely predicted to lose to Tom Wolf, (currently trailing him in polls by nearly 30%). Tom Wolf is a forward-thinking Democrat with a mind to revise PA's archaic approach to cannabis law reform. In fact, the word "legalization" has actually come out of his mouth.

With these advances, it's clear that we're on the winning side of history. We just need to keep on pushing for legislation that takes us closer to a "Pro Full Legalization of Marijuana"  world!