[Vision2020] medical marijuana in Idaho?

[Bill London]

REP. TOM TRAIL PROPOSES MEDICAL MARIJUANA

LEGISLATION FOR THE SEVERELY ILL



Rep. Trail is proposing a measure that would make Idaho the 15th state in the nation to legalize the use of marijuana to help patients with chronic illnesses.  The measure would allow patients diagnosed with severe illnesses like cancer, AIDS, Lou Gehrig's disease, muscular dystrophy, glaucoma and multiple sclerosis to have access to marijuana grown and distributed through state-monitored dispensaries.



The proposed legislation would be the most restrictive medical marijuana law in the nation because it would permit doctors to prescribe it for only a set list of serious chronic illnesses.  The law would also forbid patients from growing their own marijuana and using it in public, and it would regulate the drug under the strict conditions used to track the distribution of medically prescribed opiates like Oxycontin and morphine.  Patients would be limited to two ounces of marijuana per month.



Rep. Trail was approached over a year ago by several constituents who suffered from chronic health conditions - brain cancer, glaucoma and other severe health conditions.  They receive prescriptions from their doctors and have them filled in Washington State.  One constituent, who has multiple sclerosis, said his doctors have recommended marijuana to treat neuralgia, which causes him to lose the feeling and use of his right arm and shoulders.  The M.S. Society has shown that this drug will help slow the progression of the disease.  Rep. Trail has talked to many doctors who support this type of legislation.



The legislation is modeled after legislation recently passed in New Jersey and reported to be by far the most restrictive law of any of the 14 states that have legalized medical marijuana.  One of the criticisms has been that laws in many states contained loopholes that might encourage recreational drug use.  This happened in California.  The California loophole contained a list of ailments so unrestrictive that it might have allowed patients to seek marijuana to treat minor or nonexistent ailments.  This loophole is closed in Rep. Trail's proposal.



Rep. Trail notes that there was opposition from law enforcement and other groups with an earlier draft, and he decided that when New Jersey passed their bill and it was signed by a Republican governor, this approach offered the best avenue for success.  The legislation has just been drafted, and Rep. Trail notes that it is too late in the session for any possibility of moving the measure forward.  He reports that the draft must be reviewed by the Department of Health and Welfare, law enforcement, the Idaho Medical Association and many other stakeholders.  The plan is to start a dialog with all the stakeholders and prepare to introduce the legislation in the 2011 legislative session.  Rep. Trail plans on holding a series of town meetings this summer on the legislation.  Rep. Trail can be contacted at ttrail at moscow.com.


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