[Vision2020] medical marijuana in Idaho

[Bill London]

My thanks to Tom Trail for writing and introducing Idaho legislation to legalize medical marijuana.  (See the article from the Tribune below).  Far too often, legislators ignore the real suffering of a small percentage of their constituents.  Thankfully, not Tom Trail.  He has fashioned a conservative legalization bill that is appropriate for Idaho and a real life-saver for those who need pain-relief. BL

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Trail introduces medical marijuana legislation
By William L. Spence of the Tribune

January 21, 2011

BOISE - Moscow Rep. Tom Trail introduced a medical marijuana bill this week, saying it's time for the Idaho Legislature to help reduce the suffering of seriously ill citizens.

Trail said his legislation is directed at people who need pain relief from chronic, debilitating medical conditions. He has no interest in legalizing marijuana for general use.

"I've stayed away from a lot of fringe groups on this," he said. "Our focus is simply on providing the option for medical marijuana."

The bill requires patients or their caregivers to register with the state before they could legally buy marijuana. Before registering, patients would need a certificate from their doctor saying the drug could help with their medical condition.

The marijuana could only be produced and sold by treatment centers licensed by the state. Caregivers and treatment center operators would have to undergo criminal background checks. Patients could only buy marijuana from a specific treatment center, and couldn't buy more than 2 ounces in a 28-day period.

Operating a vehicle or heavy equipment while under the influence of marijuana would be illegal. Smoking marijuana in school yards, on public transportation, in prisons, public parks or recreation centers would be prohibited.

The bill allows the state to charge an application and licensing fee to cover any costs.

"This legislation provides another option for medically challenged citizens and provides protections for our citizens as a whole," Trail said. "It gets down to a states rights issue: Should the use of medical marijuana be determined by the doctor-patient relationship, or by Congress and law enforcement?"

The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee. Chairman Rich Wills, a former Idaho State Police trooper, said he hadn't read the legislation yet. He wouldn't commit to giving the bill a public hearing, saying he needed to poll the members of his committee.

Several other states already have some form of medical marijuana law. Trail's bill indicates that 99 percent of the arrests for marijuana possession nationally are done under state laws.

Consequently, his measure "will have the practical effect of protecting from arrest the vast majority of the seriously ill people who have a medical need to use marijuana."

"I've taken a lot of heat over this," Trail said. "But when you look at the states where this is working, I think we owe it to our suffering citizens."

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Spence may be contacted at bspence at lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2274. 
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