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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: auto 0in" class=MsoPlainText
align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">REP. TOM TRAIL PROPOSES MEDICAL
MARIJUANA</FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: auto 0in" class=MsoPlainText
align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">LEGISLATION FOR THE SEVERELY
ILL</FONT></P>
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face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: auto 0in" class=MsoPlainText><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Rep. Trail is proposing a measure that would make Idaho
the 15<SUP>th</SUP> 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.</FONT></P>
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face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: auto 0in" class=MsoPlainText><FONT
face="Times New Roman">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.</FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: auto 0in" class=MsoPlainText><FONT
face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: auto 0in" class=MsoPlainText><FONT
face="Times New Roman">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.</FONT></P>
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face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: auto 0in" class=MsoPlainText><FONT
face="Times New Roman">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.</FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: auto 0in" class=MsoPlainText><FONT
face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: auto 0in" class=MsoPlainText><FONT
face="Times New Roman">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@moscow.com.</FONT></P>
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