HARRISBURG (WPMT) — Medical marijuana is one step closer to legalization in Pennsylvania, thanks to bipartisan support from a pair of state senators.
Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montogomery) and Sen. Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon/York/Dauphin) are confident their proposal to make cannabis available for medical use only will be more successful its second round through the Capitol. Senate Bill 3 passed through the State Government Committee on Tuesday by a vote of 10-0. Next up is a trip to the appropriations committee before hitting the Senate floor. Sen. Leach expects both to happen in early May.
“There are real people who are suffering that can be helped,” Sen. Leach said. “We cannot linger on this. We have to give them the help they need.”
Last session, this bill flew threw the Senate, passing by a 43-7 vote, but it was never taken up by the House. The two senators believe the bill's introduction late in 2014 did not give them enough time to win over state lawmakers in the House. There is renewed optimism this session, however. Leach and Folmer both say they've had extra time to explain the bill to state representatives. Plus, they have an ally in Gov. Tom Wolf (D), a vocal supporter of medical marijuana, who has said he will sign this bill if it reaches his desk.
Since failing last session, Sens. Leach and Folmer have reshaped the bill. Tuesday's amended bill adds a "real time" registry which will allow to more comprehensively track those with medical cannabis cards, Folmer said. The bill also expanded the list of covered medical conditions, including HIV/AIDS and glaucoma. Users will also no longer be able to have edible marijuana products, but will still be allowed to mix the drug into their food.
"Here is part of God's creation he has given us," Sen. Folmer said. "We have two choices: We can either abuse and misuse it, or we can bring it into proper stewardship and help people with it."
Attending Tuesday's committee hearing was Christy Billett, a 34-year old from Huntingdon County who lives with fybromialgia and post-traumatic stress disorder. She, along with a group of lobbyists, have spent their week at the Capitol trying to rally support for Senate Bill 3. She says she spoke with "25-30 state representatives, and 5-10 senators." Billett sat in the hearing room at the Capitol's East Wing as the committee unanimously approved the bill.
"If I don't find an alternate treatment for the tumors I have on my spine," she said, "there's a good chance I'll be in a wheelchair by the time I'm 50."
Her conditions would not be covered by the proposed bill. Yet, Billett hopes a small victory for medical marijuana would open the doors for people like her down the road.
"We support any condition that gets passed, just so long as it gets passed in Pennsylvania," she said. "Once it gets passed, we'll have to start the process all over again with lobbying and rallying support."
While Christy waits for her time, Sens. Folmer and Leach say they've moved one step closer to passing a historic bill.
"This is not about stoners. This is not about the high," Folmer said. "This is about medicine. This is about giving that patient one more hour in their quiver to fight whatever disease they are fighting."
