By Sam Gordon
Murphy News Service
A Minnesota House of Representatives committee passed preliminary legislation on this week that could be an early step on the path legalization of medical marijuana in the state.
The Minnesota House Health and Human Services Policy Committee approved the bill, with support from both parties. The bill was initially proposed last year by Rep. Carly Melin, DFL-Hibbing.
It will now likely head to the House Government Operations Committee for additional review.
The proposed law would allow patients suffering from chronic health conditions to get a doctor’s prescription for medical marijuana to relieve symptoms such as chronic pain.
Muscular dystrophy patient Patrick McClellan was one of more than 20 people who testified on Tuesday. Most who testified were in favor of the bill.
McClellan said he has chronic pain and severe muscle spasms. He has braces on both legs and his condition cost him his career more than three years ago.
“I’ve found that eating and vaporizing cannabis has a remarkable effect on treating my spasms with pain,” he said.
He said he takes 26 different kinds of medications per day. An obviously emotional McClellan added he has had multiple attacks, including one in 2010 where “he thought he was going to die.” The attack prompted him to begin using marijuana to treat his condition.
Registered nurse Maria Botker testified about her intention to move to Colorado for access to medical marijuana.
Botker’s daughter lives there and battles seizures, she said, which are subdued by doses of marijuana.
“She’s living with just one parent, we’re separated because of the laws of this state,” Botker said.
Minnesota would be the 21st state to approve medical marijuana if the bill becomes law the department of health would issue medical marijuana cards and patients would be allotted the drug based on their prescription.
A similar proposition made its way to then-Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s desk in 2009. That bill would have allowed patients a hospice legal access to the drug. Pawlenty vetoed it.